Back to Back
by grilledjellyfish
Summary: The Homunculi are after Riza and the secrets on her back. Will Roy be able to save her? Or will he fall victim to their plans as one of the sacrifices? With Winry in danger, Ed has to help the Colonel uncover the mystery and fight! Royai, EdWin
1. Chapter 1

Author's rambling:

Woohoo! First FMA story for me! And naturally mainly Roy/Riza and some Ed/Winry later! I'm going to stick more or less to the amazing manga and this fic contains spoilers up to chapter 65. Constructive criticism is welcome and naturally every other kind of review as well!! Hope you enjoy reading this, 'cause chapter two is already in progress... but I could still stop and work harder on my other stories... n.n

-()-()- signals beginning and end of flashbacks

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"So where did that prick hide it?"

Callused fingers brushed absentmindedly at the blond beard. A grim expression appeared on the man's face as he contemplated what to do next.

"It's been in front of our noses for all this time." He mused in a deep baritone voice, regarding the three figures in front of him with thoughtful eyes. "How unfortunate for her."

-.-.-.-.-.-

The shrill noise of the alarm clock echoed through the empty bedroom, bouncing off of plain white walls. In the kitchen a female voice gave a short command and almost instantly, the sound of small paws walking over the tiled floor could be heard.

As Black Hayate rounded the corner to Riza Hawkeye's bedroom, he was happily wagging his tail. With a small bark he jumped onto the small chair beside the large bed and put his forelegs on the nightstand. Lowering his head, he touched the relentlessly ringing clock almost tentatively before pushing hard on the small button on top of the annoying device.

The noise stopped and silence descended upon the apartment once again.

Having done what he had been told, the dog jumped down the chair and strolled back to where his master was preparing his food methodically. The odor of poultry invaded Hayate's sensitive nostrils and he sat down expectantly in front of the kitchen counter.

"Here you go." He heard the woman towering above him say, saliva gathering in his mouth. He watched her with keen eyes as she put down the metal dish in front of him. She patted his black head lovingly and withdrew then.

Ever since Riza had entered the military years ago, she hadn't been in need of an alarm clock. Right now she had one only for the purpose of teaching her beloved dog some tricks and discipline. He had learned almost fifty commands by now and understood more words than some of her male colleagues after two beer. A fact she was secretly very proud of.

Grabbing her blue uniform jacket, she walked to the front door and entered the still dark corridor of the house.

"Come, Hayate." She said in a soft tone of voice, beckoning the small bundle of liveliness to follow her outside.

He did as he was told and waited patiently until his master resumed walking down the hallway and out onto the street.

The smell of another dog caught his attention and he started sniffing intrigued at a pole.

The young Lieutenant watched him sideways, never concerned that he would actually run onto the street or bark at passing pedestrians. He was a good dog and she felt sorry that she couldn't spend more time with him at the moment. Riza Hawkeye had just been assigned the post as the Führer's personal secretary, and if she liked the job or not, she was a member of the military and questioning a transfer -especially such an important one- was never a good idea.

She didn't have to be a genius to realize just 'why' exactly she and her fellow comrades had gotten transferred to other destinations faster than she could pull the trigger of her favourite gun. Colonel Mustang had gotten in the way of the Homunculi and because they needed him (for what reason, Riza had yet to find out), they thought it would be best to force his loyalty by threatening the lives of his subordinates.

Free, but still a hostage. That's what she was right now.

A wrong move on the Colonel's side and she would pay the daisies a visit. 'What a view to look forward to', she thought with a sigh, coming to an abrupt halt at the porch leading to a small house.

So Black Hayate came shorter than he deserved, which was the reason why she had decided to give him the possibility to spend some quality hours with someone who had way too much time at his hands. They could play and pass the day with whatever activity they could come up with.

Pressing the button at the base of the name plate, Riza waited until she heard footsteps hurry to the door. It was still early, almost six and the darkness hovering above Central made it necessary for whoever was going to open the door to switch on a bright light.

Not even flinching, Hawkeye waited.

"Yes?" A tired female voice asked as its owner pushed her head through the crack between door and frame.

"I'm 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. Sorry for intruding at such an early hour Ma'am, but I think your son is expecting me." She answered politely, bowing slightly when the woman in front of her allowed her into the house.

"Jean is in the garden." Mrs. Havoc began, leading the way down a dimly lit corridor. "He's already training, but I fear this won't do his legs any good"

"I believe this training is merely a way of keeping himself sharp, Ma'am. It's not always about physical fitness,

but also about the state of mind." Riza answered with a small smile, seeing rather than hearing the older woman sigh in front of her.

"If only this Colonel would allow him to retire from work." Mrs. Havoc stated bitterly, shaking her head as she pushed open the door to the garden. A slight breeze gushed around their forms and in the corner of her eyes, Riza saw Hayate jump down the two stairs leading to the grassy ground with a delighted bark. He had already understood what they were doing here and sped down the garden to a row of oaks.

"I guess you'll find the way out, Miss." Jean's mother said and retreated back into the house.

Not bothering to answer, Riza walked down the stairs and followed the cobbled path to where Hayate had disappeared behind the large trees. She could hear his excited barks and allowed herself a small smile.

"Ya lil critter!" Riza heard a male voice as she ducked under a white sheet that hung across a line. Behind it, she found her former comrade and now retired friend sitting in a wheelchair. He was ruffling Hayate's head roughly, cigarette dangling unlit between grinning lips. "How's my buddy doin'?" He asked the yapping dog and suddenly threw a stick into the far right corner of the small garden. Black Hayate dashed after the flying object as fast as his short legs would allow him to.

"Obviously too good." Riza supplied with a sigh, arms folded in front of her chest as she watched Black Hayate run back towards Jean Havoc. He had broken the stick in two and fought to fit both into his small snout.

"Ah, 1st Lieutenant." Havoc grinned lopsidedly. "Wonderful mornin', ain't it"

"You don't have to do the Führer's paperwork." Hawkeye retorted, watching Havoc roll his eyes at her. "The Colonel should seriously think twice about aiming for the top... I can't see him signing this much within one day."

"Well, he'll have a seasoned assistant with you, Ma'am. No wonder he's so blindly walking into fate's arms"

At that Riza chuckled warmly. She really believed that the tons and tons of paperwork landing on her desk every day where just about one ton too much for the one man who thought mini-skirt-orders were the only intelligent reasons worth the paper they were printed on.

"I'll be back at around 2130. You don't have to bring Hayate back, if you don't want to. It's no problem for me to pick him up after work"

"Ah, and spoil the only possibility of getting outta this nutshell? Seriously, Lieutenant. Not a prob at all. I'm glad you brought the mutt to me." Riza decided to leave the 'mutt' be. Jean wasn't an active member of the military anymore and he had all rights to initiate a friendlier banter between them. But 'mutt'?...

"Thanks a lot, Jean." She said smiling. "I'll see you tonight then."

With that Riza waved goodbye and walked back the uneven path.

Her shift started in half an hour and she wasn't the kind of person to be late.

-.-.-.-.-.-

It was raining.

As Riza looked out of the large windows, she found a steady downpour obscuring her vision of the large courtyard. Small rivulets of cold water cascaded down the glass accompanied by the steady hammering of drops splashing against the window. The sky was dark grey and an irregular pattern of flashes lit the thick blanket above HQ.

Sighing, the young woman glanced at the watch above her desk. It was already half past eight, meaning she could start cleaning her desk off of her day's work. The lieutenant still had an errand to run and had to gather the papers for one General Lowland.

True, there hadn't been any errands mentioned in the job description for the Führer's personal assistant, but bringing the General the papers would be just the perfect excuse to go to a public phone, call the Colonel at home, say 'Hi' and show him that she was still alive and safe. He was already back at his apartment right now anyway, having taken off today and tomorrow for a few appointments.

He had insisted quite vehemently, that she had to give him once a day a proof of her existence, a sign of life that she was holding her head above water. They both knew that she was merely a measure to keep the Colonel at bay, the leash for a dog that tested how far it could go without being pulled back painfully.

Riza had sighed and had said 'yes.

From that day on, she tried as inconspicuously as possible to give him said signs. Under the pretext of bringing some very important documents, she would visit him after work, or use a fellow officer to deliver messages from 'the Führer.

Sometimes it was even him calling her under her synonym 'Elizabeth'.

If there wasn't any other way, they met secretly outside.

There was a bar on the way to her apartment and whenever she hadn't found an excuse or he couldn't call, Roy Mustang would wait outside the pub on the other side of the street for her to walk by. They never acknowledged each other's presence. No lifted hands, no nods.

It was enough to know they could still walk.

But their utmost priority was that no-one found out.

His weakness that he had to see her alive was their Achilles' heel. If anybody was to find out, it would break their necks and possibly pull witnesses into the abyss.

Today though, the papers she was currently busying herself with, were containing indeed direct orders from King Bradley.

A good enough reason to go to the other side of the enormous building, exactly the place where the public (untapped) lines were. And she was still in the time frame.

Their time frame was the small window of five hours between 1700 and 2200 in which she had to 'report' to him. Anything earlier or later would raise suspicions and if she didn't call in at all, it meant trouble. Today she give him a call and afterwards she would go and get some groceries and then be back at home when Jean Havoc brought Hayate.

Standing up, Riza straightened her uniform and looked once more out of the window.

The clouds were still weeping, transforming the courtyard into a grand pool of boiling liquid. She was just glad she had been mindful enough to bring her umbrella along. Unlike the Colonel, who would have surely gotten wet over the small distance from the entrance to HQ and his waiting car.

As she rolled her eyes at his sentiments, she found herself turning towards the Führer's desk.

It was empty. The black-haired man had excused himself that morning, having said he had some appointments with two fellow higher ups. The Lieutenant had frowned but had said nothing, even though it was one of her many tasks to coordinate his day and arrange meetings of every kind. Something she thought to be very useful in her momentary predicament. That way she knew what this man -her enemy- was up to and could tell the Colonel ASAP.

But of this special appointment, she hadn't known, but questioning the Führer's integrity was not a possibility.

Her heels clicked loudly in the near silence of the large office as Hawkeye made her way to the wooden doors leading to the corridor beyond. Just as she was about to take hold of the handle, her ears caught the noise of impatient feet shuffling outside on the linoleum floor. Her fingers froze in midair.

As a sniper, Riza had learned to use her senses and believe them no matter what. And right now, they were screaming at her to get the hell outta there. A feeling of foreboding spread through her guts and her mouth went dry. Something was definitely off and she'd be damned if she played sitting duck.

Her eyes flickered momentarily to the second set of doors that led to another office, but she dismissed that option rather quickly. There were only two windows in that room and she was in the fourth storey. No way she would survive a fall.

Riza inhaled once deeply, feeling the side of her weapon pressing against her ribs, soothing her tingling nerves and giving her the security she needed.

Slowly, the blond woman stepped back from the doors, her eyes focused on the two golden handles. The room around her was reduced to darkness and all of a sudden she felt defenseless in her hall-like prison. There were only two desks and a coffee table. Some chairs and bookshelves at the walls. Nothing to give her refuge and proper hiding.

Again she heard someone walk around outside. There wasn't much of a possibility then. She would have to climb down the window to the next floor and get back inside that way. Her heels bumped against the doors leading to the second office and Riza allowed her fingers to close around the hilt of her sidearm, the steel cool against her warm skin.

Her other arm extended, the tips of her fingers touching the door handle. Just as she was about to push it down, she felt the handle vibrate under her skin. Almost in the same instant the handle was yanked down abruptly and immediately Riza knew she was in serious trouble.

She barely had time to move to the side when the doors burst open with a crash. Swiveling around while diving for cover behind her desk, the Lieutenant pulled out her handgun in one fluid motion and pointed it at the darkness of the other office.

It was silent except for the creaking of the now splintered doors and with as much self control as she could muster right then, Hawkeye brought her breathing under control. Her eyes and ears strained to make anything out, but there was nothing. Her heartbeat thrummed loudly in her ears as she waited for something -anything- to happen.

After what seemed like minutes, Riza finally heard the faint sound of bare feet walking carefully on the floor in the other room. Soon enough she found two legs stepping into the faint light of the moon that penetrated the windows and cast long ghostly shadows on the ground.

Swallowing a deep sigh, Riza trained the gun at the point where the legs vanished in the shadows.

"I'm 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. Come out with your hands up and palms displayed." She ordered into the darkness.

Nothing happened. The legs didn't move, no-one answered.

Feeling her patience running thinner, Hawkeye inhaled deeply and got up from where she had been kneeling behind her desk.

Her arms were still extended in front of her chest, gun securely in her hands. One wrong move and the intruder was faster dead than he could gurgle a 'fuck'.

"I repeat: Come out with-"

"'I repeat', yeah, whatever! Repeat whatcha want Missy. I give a rat's ass!" A male voice yelled sarcastically,

chuckling with the hint of a smirk. Riza's eyes narrowed at that, her finger suddenly itching to pull the trigger and show that maniac just with whom exactly he had decided to mess.

"Who are you?" She asked in a voice that didn't gave away just how nervous she was. Instead of answering, the legs began to move out of the light and back into the shadows.

Riza felt the uneasiness grow in her guts as the target disappeared out of her sight. There wasn't much she could do, because she was pretty sure that outside the front door another person was waiting for her to make an escape. But they shouldn't take her too lightly. They surely were in an advantageous position, having effectively blocked both escape routs, but Riza had two sidearms and, as the Colonel had once claimed, the most accurate aim in the history of the military.

Retreating slowly backwards to the large window beside her desk, Riza watched the open doors with eagle eyes.

What happened then, Riza wouldn't be able to recall exactly later.

The sound of breaking glass was all she needed as warning to dive away from the window and under the desk. Shards of wet glass rained down upon the table's surface and Riza covered her head instinctively against the sharp objects. A hollow thud echoed above the noise of clattering and the floor underneath her knees shook for a second from an unknown impact.

"Can I eat her, Envy?"

Her eyes widened as realization dawned on the young Lieutenant and with a surge of fear, she scrambled out from under the desk, away from the broken window and into the middle of the office. She didn't feel the pain of glass slicing her hands and knees open, adrenaline already surging through her vains and dulling her bodily sense of pain. Riza only registered slightly that she was bleeding when her fingers slipt slightly as she tried to regain her grip on her gun.

"Nah. Old man said to bring her back breathing... he didn't mention though whether she had to have legs."

Her gaze shot to the broken office doors and with a sickening feeling she found a slender man standing in the frame. He had his hands on his hips and a sneer covered his thin lips. Riza's eyes fell on an all too familiar object in the strange man's hand. A handgun.

"Ah! Women have smooth legs." The short plump creature mumbled around his index finger in delight, saliva dripping down his chin and onto the red carpet.

'Homunculi', Riza thought, panic pulling at the edge of her mind, her composure slowly dissipating. Her index finger applied pressure on the trigger and with a grunt, she got into a standing position. Her eyes watched as the smaller of the two figures took a step towards her. Her brain worked in overdrive and the name 'Gluttony' flashed through her mind. The thing had tried to kill her already twice before and she was painfully aware of the fact, that she couldn't stop him with her bullets.

"Dammit." She whispered, her breathing picking up slightly when she found the other guy following his comrade. They advanced almost at a casual pace, seemingly not in the slightest hurry.

'Why should they', she though bitterly, 'it's not like anyone is here anyway.'

"Get it done and over with, Gluttony. 's no fun watching ya have all the action." Envy barked.

"Ok." Came the child-like answer. Not wasting another second, Gluttony dashed to where Riza was standing.

Instinct took over and Riza pulled the trigger. A bullet pierced the air and hit the Homunculus' head between his round black eyes. A small rivulet of bright red blood trickled out of the hole and down the fleshy nose and for a second the monster stopped dead as if thinking about something.

Her jaw muscles tightened painfully when Riza realized that this was probably her only chance. Not thinking, she swiveled around and ran towards the closed doors. She reached them in three strides and threw her full weight against them.

The doors burst open, crashing against the walls and bouncing off of them. They banged close behind Riza, but she paid them no attention. Her legs were carrying her down the dimly lit corridor, her mind racing for a place where she could hide. But there was nowhere to go and two immortal monster were hunting her down.

What did they want from her? Who had sent them? What was she supposed to do? Was the Colonel in danger?

She didn't know.

Her grip tightened around the hilt of her favorite sidearm, the one weapon she had learned to rely on more than any other weapon in the world. Now useless, when confronted with alchemic creatures.

Suddenly searing pain exploded in her right side and with a whistling noise, a bullet imbedded itself in the ground in front of her. With knowledge came clarity and instinctively, she pressed her palm flat against the small hole in her abdomen. Blood seeped through the gaps between her fingers and a nauseous feeling threatened to overpower her senses.

Riza's legs moved on. Her steps didn't falter. Her brain and body ignored the pain.

The bullet had missed her vital organs by millimeters, but a hit to the belly was one of the most painful ones. She had learned that in her academy days: If you want to render an enemy immobile, shoot his guts.

Rounding a corner, Hawkeye sped past a row of offices. To her dismay the lights were all turned off and no-one was there.

Not that anyone of those desk jockeys could have been in any way useful and somehow, she was even glad that there was nobody who could get involved.

The sound of a second shot rang in her ears and for once, she was glad for all the adrenaline clouding her mind as she felt the projectile graze the flesh of her left upper arm. She didn't even register the blood flowing out of the wound, making her black, tight-fitting shirt she always wore underneath her uniform cling to her arm.

Another bullet whizzed past her left ear and Riza ducked. Her gun arm extended backwards and she pulled the trigger twice. A grunt told her all she needed to know and again she rounded a corner. The staircase was near. Another twenty meter and she would be able to see the emergency exit...

A hard body crashed into her back and all the air left Riza's lungs at once. Stars danced through her vision when she crashed into a large locker. Again the noise of breaking glass filled her ears and white pain shot through her shoulders. In the back of her mind, Riza felt one or two ribs breaking, but the feeling predominating was the burning of her empty lungs.

Somebody's hand grasped her neck tightly, squeezing off her windpipe. Her chest heaved desperately to fill her lungs with oxygen but nothing happened. Her head felt dizzy and her vision blackened, the figure before her fading slowly into nothingness.

Her hand had long let go of her sidearm and with what little strength was left in her aching muscles, she tried to find something within her reach resembling somewhat a weapon. As long as she still had a bit of awareness left, Riza Hawkeye would fight. She had promised to survive. She had promised. She had promised!

"Stop moving around, bitch. That back of yours is way too valuable!" She dimly heard a voice tell her some feet away.

"I want to eat her legs." The Homunculus holding her up by her neck whined and the stench of rotten flesh invaded Riza's nose.

That thing was going to eat her!

Dammit, dammit, dammit!

"I'm gonna tell them to gather the human sacrifices and you finally get those legs off"

'Sacrifices?', she thought and the picture of the Colonel and the Elric brothers flashed through her darkening mind.

Frantically, her hands wandered across the crashed locker and suddenly closed around a familiar egg-shaped object. With her thumb, she pulled the small metal pen out of its safety. She mobilized her last energy reserves and lifted her arms, one hand grasping the hand around her neck and prying open the meaty fingers. Her other arm aimed blindly for the open mouth of Gluttony and pushed the small object into the wide open maw.

Obviously startled by her sudden actions, the Homunculus let go of her neck and stepped back. Riza fell to the in glass covered floor, coughing and retching. Her vision slowly cleared, the fog lifting from around her. Her eyes settled on the dumbfounded plump creature, his black orbs seeking out his comrades frowning face. It didn't know what had happened.

"What did'cha do, bitch?!" Envy yelled, holding Riza at gunpoint.

Not caring, Riza grabbed another oval object lying discarded on the ground beside her, pulled the pin and threw it at the strangely dressed man towering threateningly in front of her. It bounced off of his bare stomach and rolled around on the floor in front of his feet.

His eyes widened in realization and he lowered the gun as his gaze shifted suddenly to Gluttony who was still standing beside him clueless.

"You damn bitch!!"

Riza didn't hear any of the abuses that left Envy's mouth. She had already gotten up from the floor and had by now rounded the corner. The green light of the emergency exit was fading away in her blurred vision and with what strength was left in her arms, she pushed open the heavy metal doors.

Just as she closed them behind her, a loud explosion followed by a second echoed through the staircase. Her hands covered her hurting ears, even as she dashed down the stairs.

Her head was spinning and every part of her body throbbed with blinding pain as she opened the exit door. Instantly cold rain pounded her ashen face, her shredded clothes wet within seconds. Her boots stepped into a large puddle, causing the reflection of the moon to ripple.

Hand pressed to the wound in her side, the Lieutenant started walking to the street. Behind her search lights went on, bathing the courtyard in unnatural bright light. At the same time the sirens went off and some distant shouts echoed over the place.

But Riza had already reached the other side of HQ and sluggishly wound her arms out of her torn uniform jacket. Her glassy eyes saw the dark red stains on the blue material and with a grunt, she draped the jacket over a pole.

Those monsters weren't dead, that much was clear from what she had experienced so far.

They were going to chase after her and maybe the smell of her blood on her uniform would give her somehow a slim advantage. She could just hope.

Coughing, she started walking into the other direction, ignoring the foamy liquid she breathed up with every exhalation.

She had to warn the Colonel. And the Elric brothers. But she was pretty sure her apartment was under surveillance and possibly the Colonel's as well.

Which meant that there was only one option left.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Ten past ten.

A black standard military boot tapped impatiently on the paved ground. A dirty, wet cat trotted past his legs, acknowledging the man attached to the limbs with a mere flicker of the tail.

Mildly interested, Roy Mustang eyed the small creature as it rubbed its spotted back against a lantern pole and finally walked to the other side of the street. There it sat down in front of the pub and started mewing softly, obviously unfazed by the constant downfall matting its fur.

The Colonel's gaze shifted to the puddle of murky water that had formed in front of him where the water dripped down the roof he had taken refuge under. He could see his long legs reflected in it and sighed dramatically into the near silence of the early night.

Fifteen past ten.

The Lieutenant hadn't shown up yet. Roy's first instinct was to run to the Führer's office, break the doors and shoot every male being inside. But reality pulled his mind out of the gutter labeled 'prince in shining armor', formally labeled 'worst case scenarios'. He had promised her not to act upon heedlessly formed plans even if he knew something had happened.

She had given in on his order to report once a day and he had grunted 'yes' when she had told him to keep a clear head as long as she wasn't around to save him from his foolishness and recklessness (he had thought about punishing her for insubordination after that description of his mental state).

Snapping his index finger and thumb, he wished not for the first time that day that it stopped raining and for dry gloves. As Hawkeye loved to point out to him whenever possible: He was worthless in the rain. And right now he was drenched like the sorry critter on the other side of the street.

Twenty past ten.

He had waited one and a half hours. Time was up.

Hawkeye had never been later than half past nine and 2200 was their absolute limit. His lips formed the words he had been mumbling in his mind over the last hour.

"Shit!"

His Lieutenant was in trouble. That much was sure. Now the question was what to do next. The best thing would be to call her at home, hoping she had merely forgotten their deal (yeah, and hell freezes in summer) and was soaking in a hot tub. As tempting as the image may have been, he had other things to worry about.

Next he could drive back to the office under some excuse he had yet to make up, knock at the Führer's door and drag her out of any danger with a snap of his fingers. But judging by the fact that she was a formidable hand to hand combatant and the best sniper in the history of the military (she was always so embarrassed when he pointed that out), she had to be in some deep shit. But regardless of what could have possibly happened, 'he' had to do something now.

Pushing his back away from the dirty wall he had been leaning against, he drew the dark hat further into his face. As he stepped out onto the dimly lit street, his ears suddenly picked up the noise of fire sirens in the distance. With a bewildered frown he estimated the direction the noise was coming from and felt a surge of concern flooding his system anew when he realized that HQ were there.

Maybe a fire? And she had to stay and help with whatever she could do...

Roy's eyes strayed across the building on the other side of the street, when his gaze settled on a small black and white shivering dog in the process of rounding the corner. 'What the-', he thought, running over the street and heading to where the animal sat down on his white behind, patiently waiting at the corner of the building complex.

He had barely reached the place, when the dog jumped up in delight, its small tail wiggling happily from side to side.

The small forepaws left muddy prints on the Colonel's uniform pants.

"Black Hayate?! What are you doing here?" Roy mumbled to no-one in particular as he crouched down in front of the yapping dog, his hand already caressing the small wet head.

Eyes narrowed he remembered the first time he had found the dog waiting for him right there.

After their first assignment to Central, the Colonel had frequently visited the pub late at night. Most of the time he had been too drunk to walk straight and often enough he had found his 1st Lieutenant waiting patiently outside with her small companion. He had never asked 'why' or had even questioned or reclined her actions.

But today, Black Hayate was definitely missing his master. It made the bad feeling in his stomach intensify even more.

His dark eyes fell on a white small paper neatly tucked under the dog's collar. Pulling it out, the Colonel unfolded it carefully, finding a few sentences written in a drawl on it.

'Sir, we have a situation. I'm being followed by the Homunculi. They are obviously after you and possibly the Elric brothers. I am unable to inform either of you personally. Colonel you are in immediate danger, please bring yourself in safety and tell them. Right now I can't keep my promise and watch your back. Please take care. Hawkeye'

Hands shaking, in anger or concern he didn't know, Roy folded the paper again. His brain was working in overdrive, no clear thought able to manifest itself. Roy's eyes flickered over the soaked sheet and finally settled on a small spot.

At first sight it looked like an ink stain, but as he scrutinized it more closely, he realized the color was dark red.

Blood.

Not much, but combined with the words written down on the paper, it made the liquid in the Colonel's veins run cold.

They had made his Lieutenant bleed...

"Hayateeeeeeee!!" A loud voice suddenly startled Mustang out of his internal battle and bewildered he looked up into the direction it had come from. Surprised he found a man rushing towards him. What made him unique was the wheelchair he was using as race car and the stump of a cigarette dangling from between parted lips.

Jean Havoc was panting hard when he finally reached the spot where the Colonel was standing dumbstruck with a happy dog waiting by his feet.

"Colonel?" Havoc asked, brows knitted together in a deep frown. A leash lay draped across his unresponsive legs, water dripping down the leather. Just like himself, Jean was soaking wet and his cig had long gone out. "What are you doing here?"

"We have no time for that right now. Hawkeye is in danger." Mustang interjected harshly. He didn't exactly believe in fate or God, but the fact that Havoc had just arrived meant he had somebody he could rely on to take care of some things while he took care of Hawkeye. Explanations could wait for now.

"Go and call Breda, Fuery and Falman. They have to go into hiding." He started firing his orders even as he began walking down the street, Hayate strolling behind him and Havoc wheeling by his side. "Just say Elizabeth is pregnant and they'll know what to do. Meet me in thirty minutes at the flower shop in the southern district."

Suddenly the Colonel stopped dead in his tracks, bringing them effectively to an halt.

"Havoc, I know you retired, but-" He was cut short in his speech, when Jean started chuckling.

"You wanna ask for my help? Gosh, Riza's in danger. What the hell am I supposed to do if not help ya as good as I can."

For the first time, a small smile played at the Colonel's lips and he patted Havoc's back companionably.

"I'm off." Jean said and lifted a hand in a silent goodbye. He turned his wheelchair around and rolled down the street in the opposite direction, heading to a phone he was sure wasn't tapped.

Standing alone in the relentlessly pouring rain, Roy clenched his hands into tight fists. His breathing sounded strained in the darkness of the night. Slowly he bent down to where Black Hayate was sitting in front of him, watching the human with big keen eyes.

"Hayate, show me where Riza is." He said in a calm neutral voice, patting the dog's head lovingly. Roy knew tha dog understood every word, having learned more commands from his master than most police dogs roaming the streets these days.

Hayate was one of the most intelligent dogs he had ever come across and right now his only hope to find his bleeding Lieutenant.

Barking shortly, Hayate suddenly sped off down the road. Roy was hot on his heels, taking the same turns and jumping over discarded waste. When they rounded a corner, the pair came face to face with a high fence. Not faltering in his tempo, the small dog ducked under a cardboard box and eased himself carefully through a small hole in the construction.

Mumbling some choice words, Mustang jumped onto a bucket and climbed over the offending object in three seconds. Good thing he kept himself in shape or such obstacles would hurt a lot more. He landed on the other side of the metal fence with a thud, immediately taking after the still running dog.

After another few minutes, they rounded another corner and Roy found himself standing in a dark cul de sac. Trash littered the cobblestone ground and a large waste container stood against the left wall of a high building. Squinting his eyes, he tried to get used to the darkness surrounding him and slowly brought his fast breathing back under control.

The whimper of his animal companion caught Roy's attention and he followed the sound to where Hayate had sat down behind the container. His short tail was whacking slowly from side to side as if he still had to decide whether to be happy or not.

"Hayate, where is she..." His words stayed stuck inside his throat when he found who he had been looking for.

A pained moan escaped Riza Hawkeye's lips as she tried in vain to sit up straight. Her hand was pressed weakly against the wound in her side, trying to stem the flow of red liquid.

Transfixed, Roy stared at his former subordinate, shock and anger mixing together and making his insides burn. She was a half dead heap. Clothes shredded and uniform jacket even missing completely, he could make out a large amount of wounds, the liquid puddle underneath Hawkeye's body obviously only partly originating from the rain soaked pants.

Her face was contorted in pain and with a new surge of blind rage the Colonel found blood smeared around the corners of her mouth.

"Col-" She tried to say, but the searing pain in her left lung made her stop mid-word and gulp down a cry of agony. Her whole form was shaking, both from shock and the cold rain that had soaked her thoroughly.

"Dammit, Lieutenant. Can't you for once stay out of trouble?" He suddenly asked in a soothing tone of voice. Roy had gained back some of his self-control and kneeled down in front of the bloodied woman. Glassy, half-open eyes looked up at him as he removed his jacket and folded it underneath her neck.

He watched her flinch as a new wave of pain shot through her body at the movement, but didn't stop lying her down on the wet ground. His training took over then and he used his knife to rip open the shirt where she was still pressing her flat palm against.

Even in the dim light he could tell that the bullet had pierced the beautiful white skin cleanly on both sides. Entry and exit wounds were filled with dark partly clotted blood and the skin surrounding them was stained bright red. Pressing his hand against the hole on her stomach, he swore silently under his breath.

"S-sorry, s-sir." He heard Riza's faint voice, feeling a lump rise at the sound of a slight gurgle accompanying her words.

"Don't talk, Lieutenant. I'm taking care of you." He tried to calm her down, feeling her abdomen rising in an irregular pattern every time she took a shuddered breath. A cough racked her body then and Mustang cringed when he heard the wet sound again.

But Riza wasn't about to listen to him.

"They a-are around." She wheezed, eyes squeezed tightly shut as she concentrated on talking. "You shouldn't... be here."

A short bark of laughter escaped his lips at that and he found her crack her eyes open to see what was so funny.

"If you didn't want to see me, Hawkeye, you could have just written down a 'leave me alone' on that romantic love letter of yours. Or maybe you should've taught your merry dog not to take orders from strangers."

A faint smile appeared on Riza's pale lips as her gaze drifted slowly to the waiting dog beside her.

"We have to get outta here now. I can't take care of you in this mud hole." Roy breathed slowly, looking around him to make sure he was alone. The hair on the back of his neck rose when he felt the air around him practically sizzle with tension. He had the bad feeling things were gonna turn to worse.

Suddenly Black Hayate got up and walked around the Colonel, standing facing the entrance to the small one way street.

His tail held high, he started barking and it was then that the Colonel could make out the sound of boots walking towards them.

Biting the inside of his cheek in rage, he gave Riza's hand a slight squeeze and took the second weapon out of the holster at her side. He may not be able to enlighten their intruder with a cozy fire, but a welcome bullet he could serve with.

Stepping around the container, he pointed the sidearm at the person standing some meter away from him.

The large man had his hands raised, showing he wasn't carrying anything resembling a weapon. Frowning at the familiarity of the large form, the Colonel's eyes wandered to Black Hayate... who was rubbing his head happily against the black boots of one Alex Louis Armstrong.

"What are you doing here?!" Mustang asked perplexed, lowering the gun and stuffing it into his waistband.

"I saw you running down the street and followed you, Colonel." He stated bluntly and it made Roy somehow giddy that he had been followed that easily and without him noticing at all. It made him wonder whether anybody else had gone after him and was looming around in the shadows unseen.

"Major, you haven't seen anything, yet. You can still turn around and get not involved..." And not for the first time that night, the Colonel got interrupted by one of his closest friends.

"It is my impression that Lieutenant Hawkeye is in need of medical attention and should be brought to a safer place."

Closing his eyes and sighing, the Colonel turned back to where he had left Hawkeye lying.

She had lost consciousness and wheezed softly whenever she drew a shaking, labored breath.

"Help me get her up. I don't want to jar her injuries any further." He said, smiling gratefully when the muscular Major walked past him to carefully pick up the young woman.

"My car is parked just around the corner. The first aid kit is in the back seat." He offered and lead the way, the unconscious sniper mumbling incoherently into his chest. As she moved restlessly, her keys suddenly fell to the ground with a clatter and the Colonel bent to pick it up. As he glanced at the chain, he found a dog whistle dangling down between his middle and index finger. A smile tucked at the corner of his lips as he finally understood.

"Why were you around?" Mustang suddenly asked the man with the blond mustache with a suspicious frown.

Sighing, Armstrong waited until the Colonel had opened the door for him to lie down Riza softly on the leather bench in the back of the car. Her face contorted in pain, but soon her features relaxed as she drifted off into a troubled sleep.

"The Führer's office was the scene of a fight and one of the corridors got destroyed by two grenades. There was a lot of blood and the gun of the 1st Lieutenant was found outside the Führer's office." He answered solemnly, getting into the driver seat and starting the engine immediately.

Roy nodded, opening the med kit and rummaging through its content, looking for bandages and compresses. He had to stop the steady flow of blood or the Lieutenant was soon... he couldn't continue his train of thoughts, eyes falling on the pale white face of the person he entrusted his life with. His faithful, unfaltering pillar.

"I thought it would be wise to find her before her opponents did." Alex continued driving down the street, away from HQ. In the distance the sirens were still crying faintly and for a second, Mustang allowed himself to sigh in relief. They were gaining some space between them and the crime scene and he could just hope that the Homunculi were off.

Carefully he partly ripped open Hawkeye's black ops shirt, jaw muscles tightening at the sight. The bullet wound wasn't the only reason for the large amount of blood covering her body. It seemed like she had fallen into a glass factory, her back bearing a strange pattern of deep ugly cuts. Small shards were still imbedded in the angry red skin, probably the reason why she had been so unwilling to lie down minutes ago.

With the right amount of pressure, the Colonel started wrapping a white bandage around Riza's midsection, trying to ignore the moan of pain from her. Mere seconds later the white had turned dark red and Mustang used another bandage to hopefully gain the upper hand in the fight.

The rest of her injuries would have to wait until they had more to work with and at least a penlight. He couldn't exactly see the real extent of her wounds and hoped this one caused most trouble. Though he realized that there was something seriously wrong with her lungs. It wasn't normal to breathe up foamy blood. Maybe a rip fracture.

His gaze shifted from her abdomen to her face. Her normally rosy cheeks were ashen and her lips had taken on a blue hue.

Her blond hair, that always made Mustang contemplate the feeling of silk on his palm, was dirty and matted to her clammy skin.

As he looked up to see where they were driving, Roy's eyes found Black Hayate's head lying on the space between the two front seats. He was whining pathetically as his droopy eyes watched his master's pale features somewhat concerned.

"Major." The Colonel started, absently caressing Riza's cheek. "We need to pick up Havoc at the flower shop in the southern district."

Nodding, Armstrong drove down the street and finally around a corner.

It was then that a thought struck Mustang. "Do you know of the whereabouts of Edward and Alphonse Elric? It seems like they are in danger... whatever danger that actually is." He mumbled the last part, his eyes averted from the other man as he watched Riza's eyes open slightly. A thin line of foggy obsidian looked at him and he thought he would crumble then.

"They are in the north."

Brows rising high, Roy regarded Alex with a surprised 'Huh.

"They are obviously stationed under my sister's command."

Contemplating what do to next, Mustang didn't pay attention when Alex pulled aside and opened his door. He got out into the rain and walked up to where Havoc was sitting miserably in his wheelchair. The Major helped Jean into the second passenger seat and folded the wheelchair neatly in the trunk.

As Havoc turned around in his seat, the cigarette fell from his lips.

His gaze had settled on Riza's silent form and he suddenly felt the need to punch out the lights of the guy who had done this to her. Hayate, sitting on his legs, poked the man's arm with his wet nose to get his attention.

"Colonel, I informed them of the situation. I had to assure them to notify them of our exact position whenever possible though." Jean heard the man in the backseat sigh dramatically. "Ya have to give them some credit, Roy. She's our girl after all. And big brothers look after their lil sister, ne?"

Smiling faintly at Havoc's reasoning, Roy pulled a wet strand of hair out of Riza's face.

"Major, we need a place outside town for tonight. We have to take care of her wounds before attempting any escapes.

Then we'll see on."

Nodding again silently, Armstrong took the next turn right and sped down the alley to the suburbs of Central.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS??!

My first FMA story. Liked it? Didn't?

If there's a next part, lemme tell ya in advance that the problem will be solved, how Hayate escaped from Havoc and of course, some RoyRiza-goodness!! Oh and all those EdWinry fans out there: be patient. The couple will have a major role in this fic!!

Now go and R&R!! I know you want it!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's rambling:

I love you all (especially the reviewers)... and snakes.

-()-()- means flashback

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Well, he was early.

Riza Hawkeye had said she'd be back by half past nine and right now his watch showed 2110. It was Jean's fault he was sitting outside her apartment building, rain dripping down his cigarette and Black Hayate waiting patiently in front of the closed door. He should have consulted his watch half a hour before...

He could still say he was training his immune system, or something like that. At least no sexy ladies were walking by. Havoc wasn't sure he could have survived two women giggling at seeing a soaked man in a wheelchair.

Life hardly ever paid off.

Another minute ticked by and with a sigh, Jean turned his head around and looked down the street into the direction the 1st Lieutenant should be coming from. But the sidewalk was deserted. No Lieutenant in sight.

"She should be here any moment now, buddy." He mumbled down where the dog was sitting. Trying vainly to blow a wet strand of hair out his eyes, he patted the silent animal on the small black and white head. Jean made a face when he found his palm covered in black, sticky hair... he should brush the mutt's fur tomorrow. Could at least help Riza out with some tasks, even if they were so insignificant. As long as she was held 'hostage' legally by the damn Führer, she didn't have that much time to take care of that. She was working practically 24/7 at Bradley's office.

He was still contemplating asking Hawkeye for a brush, all the time patting Hayate's head, when he felt the dog move underneath his hand. His until then silent companion turned suddenly around into the opposite direction, ears standing at attention as he seemed to listen into the silence of the night. He held his tail high, though unmoving, looking like he was straining for something in the distance.

Frowning, Jean Havoc watched the dog with interest. He was obviously hearing something... maybe his master was finally near and he had noticed her before she even was in sight.

Then, without warning, Hayate barked twice in a short row and before Havoc could have done anything, he sped off down the street.

Speechless for the longest second, Jean stared after the rapidly fading form of Black Hayate. After mere seconds, the dog disappeared behind a corner completely out of sight, leaving behind a dumbfounded retired Lieutenant. The leash Riza had given him days ago was still draped over his unresponsive legs, unused and wet.

Blinking a few times, the young man seemed to slowly escape his stupor.

"What the fuck?!" Havoc suddenly yelled, his hands gripping the wheels of his vehicle and started moving them. As he gained speed, his vocabulary reduced gradually to one syllable swear-words.

When he finally rounded the corner Hayate had vanished behind, he found the damn critter standing a good hundred meter ahead in the middle of the empty street. He still had his ears pricked and listened intently into the silence and for the fraction of second, Havoc hoped whatever had attracted the dog's attention had ceased into nothingness. But to his overly dismay there must have still been something in the air he couldn't hear, because just then Hayate went off again, down the road and suddenly turned sharply to the left.

Still swearing and grunting, cursing the dog to hell and back, Jean hunted after him. Soon his hands were dirty from the muddy wheels and a small puddle of cold water was slowly increasing in diameter on his lap. And if that hadn't been enough, to make matters worse his toes had gotten cold!

So much for powering up his stamina. Ha! He was going to be sick, dripping nose and all!

Slowly (though he had been training real hard during the last couple of weeks), Jean's hands began to hurt and the muscles in his forearms started to cramp. His speed decreased and the rain stopped splashing his face horizontally.

He had officially lost Riza Hawkeye's dog.

Shit! She was so going to shoot him!

A shiver went down his spine only at thinking of the cold barrel being pressed to his temple. And his imagination was based on first-hand experience!

There was no other way! He would have to look for the fleabag and bring him back before Riza could grab the hilt of her favourite sidearm. As impossible a task it may have been, he still had to give it his best!

"Hayateeeee!" He started yelling into the silent night. Somewhere above him, a light in a bedroom went on and an angry voice cut like a sword through the echo of Havoc's voice.

"Shut the hell up, you damn ass!"

Rolling his eyes and not caring in the least, Jean moved on, yelling Hayate's name now and then and looking into dark house entrances and the small spaces between buildings. He found five rats, two cats and two men making out in a side street.

But no dog. Not even a dachshund or even something resembling the small pup.

Havoc had to fight the urge to pull at his soaked hair.

After an hour he had already wheeled around the block twice and had searched several streets leading away from Hawkeye's house.

Not only did he have no trace of the lost mutt, but he hadn't come across the 1st Lieutenant as well. Which was strange, considering he had passed her apartment three times already.

Twenty past ten and still no sign of neither Hayate nor Hawkeye. If he didn't find him in the next ten minutes, he'd give up for tonight and look for Riza instead. She would probably understand and maybe the dog had already found her and she had taken him for a walk and then... yeah, whatever. As if she would go to the park at ten at night! He was making up stupid things again.

Sighing deeply, feeling the strain on his hands growing at an exhausting rate (he would double his training from tomorrow on), he rounded another corner. When he looked up from the muddy ground, his eyes suddenly fell on a small black dog sitting silently in front of a slightly illuminated part of the sidewalk.

His brows rose to unknown heights, when he found a man dressed in a military uniform crossing the street to where Hayate was sitting in front of a pub. Havoc knew the pub. When they had first been stationed in Central, the Colonel and him had often paid the bar a visit. Frequently he had found himself at Hawkeye's mercy, too drunk to walk home on his own.

"Hayateeee!" He yelled again at the top of his lungs, once more picking up speed as he neared the position where the man was kneeling in front of a happily yapping dog.

Jean Havoc was panting hard when he finally reached the spot where no other than Colonel Roy Mustang was standing dumbstruck with a happy dog waiting by his feet.

"Colonel?" Havoc asked, brows knitted together in a deep frown. The leash was still laying draped across his paralyzed legs, water dripping down the leather. Just like Mustang, Jean was soaking wet and his cig had long gone out.

"What are you doing here?"

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Well, and ya know the rest." Havoc concluded his story, blowing out a lung full of grey smoke. He was sitting in his wheelchair in front of a small creaky table, elbows resting on the dirty surface as he watched the occupants of the small room.

"She probably called Hayate with this." Mustang offered, holding up the whistle chained to Riza's keys. He brought it to his lips and blew into the metal device gently, no sound audible for the two officers though. Instantly, Black Hayate shot up from the floor, ears pricked and head held high as he listened hard. When Mustang used the whistle a second time, the small dog barked twice sharply and started pacing around the chair the raven-haired Colonel occupied.

Smiling warmly down at the animal, Roy patted Hayate's head. "Good boy." He said, turning his attention back to the bed beside him.

The prone form of Riza Hawkeye lay there, chest rising irregularly as she took short, shallow breaths. Her face, only two hours ago ashen, was flushed, sweat covering her clammy skin and trickling down her temple. Her hair lay astray on the small pillow, still slightly damp from the rain.

Carefully, Mustang took a new cloth and soaked it with cold water, replacing the one on Riza's forehead. As his fingers touched her skin, he found it unnaturally warm. Her fever was rising and except for cooling down her head, there was little else he could do right now with their resources at hand.

Their resources being some bandages, cold water and a blanket.

After their headless flight out of Central, Armstrong had found a small, empty two storey house at the edge of a small suburb, one room on every floor. The windows were partly broken and they had only found some candles, barely enough to illuminate the small room. Though, on the other hand, the Colonel was glad. The more light, the more attention they would draw... not that it was already suspicious enough that three men were carrying around an unconscious woman in the middle of the night on their flight from crazy Homunculi... he had heard stories in his history in the military that had been far more believable.

"You wanna have some?" Havoc's voice suddenly broke the silence. He was holding a bottle of wine in one hand, swinging it from side to side in front of the Colonel's face.

Roy shook his head 'no', declining for now. He had to be alert. For the sake of everyone.

With Armstrong gone (he was trying to get a real med kit and some drugs in town) he was the only one left able to defend the three comrades from whatever evil could possibly endanger their lives.

A moan erupted from Hawkeye's throat and Roy turned around, one hand already taking hold of her limp hand. He squeezed it reassuringly and lent down closer to the slightly parted lips of his former 1st Lieutenant.

"S-sir..." The word left her dry lips in barely a whisper.

Eyes wide, the Colonel moved even closer. In the back of his mind he registered Hayate shuffling around his boots uncharacteristically nervous.

Again her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, when suddenly the door burst open, making the Colonel and Havoc nearly fall out of their respective seats in shock. The sidearm he had taken from Riza earlier that night was pointed at the wide open door, ready to shoot the intruder on the spot. Roy's grip tightened when he found the mountain of a Major inclining his head slightly.

"Major, I swear..." Roy threatened, hand sweeping over his features in relief as he watched the burly man enter their hiding place silently. Before Armstrong closed the door behind him, he took another good look around the vast landscape, making sure nobody had followed him.

"I am truly sorry, Colonel." He said in a calm tone of voice as he made his way to the bed where Mustang had just gotten up.

"Lieutenant." Alex acknowledged the man sitting in the wheelchair. When the smoking younger man nodded with a smirk, Armstrong suddenly dumped a large bag on Jean's lap.

A frown spread out on Mustang's face, while he watched the Major rummage through the bag's content.

"I have been able to gather some supplies. Some clothes, sidearms, food and medical stuff." With that he pulled out a large first aid kit and laid it down on the table. The Colonel immediately opened it and went through the list of things he would need to take minimal care (he was no doctor by any means) of Hawkeye's wounds.

"Major, Lieutenant." He started, looking up to find the two man eyeing him expectantly. "I will need your help for this."

Nodding his head slightly, Armstrong rolled up the sleeves of his uniform and walked towards the sorry excuse of a bed.

Slowly he lifted the blanket draped over the shivering body of Riza Hawkeye and folded it neatly. He lay it over her bare feet just as the Colonel took the place to his left.

"We'll have to dress the wound in her side first." Roy told his companions, his hands already busying themselves with winding a white sterile bandage around her left upper arm where a bullet had obviously grazed her flesh, having missed any major arteries and muscle tissue.

"The Major and I roll her to the side and hold her still. Havoc, you take a look at the wound. You have more experience in the medical field, so..."

"Sure thing, boss. Just be careful not to strain her rip fractures, ya hear?"

Silence descended upon the three men.

Mustang took scissors out of the med kit and started cutting the black shirt Riza was still wearing for lack of better clothes. A long gap opened in the tight fitting material, revealing white unmarred skin underneath. If the situation hadn't been so grave, the Colonel would have probably made a comment about how she could take a job as nude model or something similar with such a body.

It wasn't the first time though that he had seen more of her than most other male specimen in Amestris. Her body -or better her back- were well known territory to the now silent man. He had seen her shoulders more times than his own.

Had studied the secrets her soft skin held so intensely, that the image of every inch had been burnt into his mind for the rest of his life.

"Jean, Alex." He suddenly whispered, his hands halting. One of his palms pressed the torn shirt to Riza's back, looking like he was trying to keep it there for the rest of eternity.

"You were never meant to see this." Not that the usage of their first names hadn't gotten enough of their attention, but this made Havoc nearly fidget nervously.

Ever so slowly, Mustang drew back the offending shirt.

What he revealed to the men's eyes made them gasp in shock.

"An array." Armstrong mumbled, eyes wide as he stared at the beautiful tattoo on Riza's back. Uncountable transmutation circles and alchemic symbols intermingled, like snakes winding themselves around each other's body in passion, composing a grande masterpiece.

The breath stuck in Roy's throat as he allowed his eyes to trace the black lines of the array once again, almost feeling the memory of his fingers doing just that many years ago. Even now, he couldn't suppress the awe at what unimaginable genius hid behind the different layers of circles. Every time he got a glimpse of it, he found another meaning shining within the array's depths. Every circle, every tiny dot of ink revealing a new world to his trained eyes.

He had memorized the complete array back then and sometimes he still found himself waking up at night, drenched in cold sweat, when in a nightmare the circles wound their way on his back, bleeding into his skin. Sometimes Hawkeye was there, standing naked in front of him, large massive doors slowly opening behind her.

Tears running down her tattooed cheeks...

"She was burnt."

Jean's words cut deep. Mustang almost flinched as he felt the tips of his fingers prickle at the memory.

He suddenly felt the need to defend himself against the unspoken accusation.

"Hawkeye and I go way back... she wanted me to do it." He said, lips dry.

-()-()-

"You could die." Mustang whispered, his right hand pressed to her beautiful left shoulder. He felt her tense under his palm and a shiver went down his spine when he glimpsed watery eyes staring ahead at the wall.

"I gave birth to the Flame Alchemist." The young woman started slowly, sadness washing over her features when she turned her head slightly around to face the man standing behind her. "Wouldn't it be equivalent trade when the flames took my life in exchange?"

His nails dug deep into her skin, biting at the unmarred skin. Her eyes seemed hollow, just like his own. That's what war did. It killed the innocents.

Ready to die.

Together.

The flames exploded under his white glove, licking at her skin, devouring it greedily. Her mouth opened in a silent cry, tears trickling down her cheeks. Her body started trembling, moving away from him on instinct. Away from the pain, away from the flames.

Away from her burden.

From him.

"Sorry." He whispered, his free arm snaking around her chest and capturing her again. He held her securely as he brought unspeakable agony upon this once innocent creature. And again everything in front of his eyes was burning, the snap of his fingers agonizingly loud in the unbearable silence of his ears.

-()-()-

Silently, Havoc wrapped the last bandage around Riza's midsection, glad that the flow of dark blood had almsot ceased completely. It looked like nothing major had been damaged. 'Luck', Havoc thought with a sigh. Or maybe that had been their intention right from the start. Render her immobile,

but keep her alive. He shuddered involuntarily.

"Who thought up that insane shit." Jean mumbled grimly around his unlit cigarette, mentioning with his chin to Hawkeye's tainted back.

"Her father... my teacher." Mustang answered in a somewhat defeated voice. Carefully he and Armstrong turned Riza back around, his hand immediately pulling misplaced hair out of her flushed face. They had successfully bandaged the bullet wound and had applied antibacterial ointment on the cuts strewn all over her skin.

With the help of the Major, Roy managed to get Riza into a clean, dry shirt. Slowly, he buttoned it up, minding her injuries (and modesty).

When her back touched the mattress again, she moaned from pain, cracking her eyes open. It was the first time since she had passed out back in the street that she had opened them. Roy always thought she possessed the fighting spirit of a wolf.

Glassy reddish orbs sought out Mustangs eyes and her lips parted slightly.

"Idiots."

Frowning, the three men watched her bewildered.

"Idiots?" Havoc repeated slowly, making a disgruntled face. Strange thing he always got called idiot when a woman woke up to find him sitting beside her bed. Maybe he should try another aftershave.

"Care to elaborate?" Mustang replied with a smirk."I t-told you... to leave me." She whispered, wetting her dry lips as she paused to regain her breath. "Now you're all... in danger."

"I recall a letter in which you already told me I'm in danger. But there was nothing about leaving you. What a stupid thing to do, don't you agree, Havoc?" He said, filling a glass with cold water and offering it to the heavily breathing woman. Roy helped her sit up slightly and held the glass to her lips as she sipped slowly.

"1st Lieutenant." The deep voice of Armstrong erupted beside Roy for the first time since they had started to attend to her injuries. His eyes watched her closely, while he unfolded the blanket and threw it once again over her unmoving form. "Can you tell us what happened?"

At that, her eyes moved away from the three friends, her gaze transfixed to the gloomy ceiling above her bed.

"I was... about to go home... when they attacked." She started in a neutral tone of voice, sounding like she was giving a report to a superior. "It were the Homunculi Gluttony and Envy... It appears they were after... after..." The words stuck in her throat as her eyes found the Colonel's. She looked hesitant, but what caught Roy totally off guard, was the blatant fear shimmering in her orbs.

His fearless Riza... his hands clenched into fists when he found her blinking a few times to suppress whatever emotion was threatening to gain the upper hand inside her. The Homunculi had changed their plans, but for what purpose? What had made them promote a potential hostage into a worthy tool for their alchemy?

A harsh laugh suddenly escaped his lips before he could stop it.

"They're after your back, right?" He concluded, shaking his head. Whether in amusement or denial, he didn't know.

Jean's brows knitted together in a frown for the umpteenth time that night as he regarded first Riza and then Mustang with questions in his eyes that almost made his head ache in frustration. The day couldn't get any stranger. The Homunculi had taken an interest in Riza's back, on which an complicated array had been tattooed, he himself had just found out existed at all...

"The Elric brothers and me... they called us human sacrifices."

...and to round off the whole thing, the Colonel and the Elrics were sacrifices. What a freaky night, indeed.

Havoc smacked his forehead with his flat palm, the slap resounding in the confines of the small room. He really needed some fresh air and maybe something stronger than the bottle of wine. He would murder for a real good whiskey right now...

"Major, would you please get the supplies into the car? Havoc, get Hayate and take the passenger seat. I'll get Hawkeye in a second." The raven-haired man suddenly ordered, a dark shadow crossing his features as he stared at the averted eyes of Riza Hawkeye.

Saluting briskly, Armstrong did as he was told to, gathering the little supplies he had found and went outside. He left behind three sidearms, one for each of his comrades. Riza may have been wounded pretty badly, but he was sure she could still shoot a flying bird if necessary.

Grunting some curses under his breath, Havoc turned his wheelchair around. He patted his lap in invitation and waited for Black Hayate to jump onto his thighs, tail whacking happily from side to side.

"I dunno what this is all about, but-" He turned his head around slightly, watching the couple behind him out of the corner of his eyes. "I hope ya know that I'm not really of any use to you Colo-"

"2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc. I believe you have orders to obey." Mustang barked, eyes narrowed. He didn't need to hear what Havoc wanted to say. Whether he knew it or not, but Jean was one of the few people (paralyzed or not), the Colonel trusted explicitly.

Smirking, Jean exhaled a small cloud of smoke. His hands gripped the wheels of his chair tightly and started moving them.

After some seconds he disappeared outside in the chilly night.

"Colonel..." Riza began, watching her former CO through partly lidded eyes. Her whole body ached and her mind demanded rest, but she wanted to be alert. She wanted to be of use, as much as she could be in that condition. She hated herself for the situation they were in.

A situation, she had maneuvered them into.

And she regretted it deeply, that she was pulling them down into the abyss, fearing they'd never be able to emerge.

She wished not for the fist time, that her father had spared her this fate. She was branded with a symbol that brought sorrow and death upon the people around her.

"Riza." The sound of her first name made her freeze. Was that regret wavering at the edge of his voice?

"I can't... I will not sacrifice you to the fire again." He stated, his head hanging low in defeat. The white gloves in his trouser pockets seemed warm against his thigh, reminding him silently of his burden.

Heavy lids threatened to close and with an effort, Riza lifted her right arm up to her tired features. Her clammy palm covered her eyes, her forehead hot against the tips of her fingers. She was stuck in a nightmare she couldn't escape.

Riza wanted to wake up.

"No." She whispered in answer. "I fear 'you' will fall victim to the flames."

Frowning, Roy looked up, finding some tears trickling down her dirty cheeks. She had her eyes still covered when she spoke up again. "We have to stand back to back this time... or otherwise, we won't be able to protect those below us."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"That shitty bitch!"

A rock the size of a bin went flying through the air, crashing against a wall. It shattered into uncountable pieces.

"Smooth legs." Gluttony mumbled around his index finger, his eyes teary as he thought about what he had missed out to eat. Saliva dripped down his chin and landed in a small puddle between his short legs. "I'm hungry."

"Shut the hell up, you fat idiot!" Envy yelled, his bare feet kicking at the wall and causing a large crack to appear in the old masonry. His anger had gained the upper hand as soon as they had reached their hiding place underground.

They had taken refuge under the buildings of the 6th laboratory and were currently waiting for further orders from their 'father'.

"I should have just broken her damn neck and ripped the skin off of her fucking back!!" The strange man yelled, the echo bouncing off of the confines of the cave.

"They are heading to the north." The voice of Wrath suddenly erupted from the entrance and when Envy looked up, he found the older Homunculus slowly striding down the uneven stairs. He had his hands folded behind his back, the navy blue of his uniform dark in the gloomy room. "Some patrols saw them driving down a country road. There were four people in the car, among them the woman and an unconfirmed human sacrifice."

"Tche..." Envy hissed, eyes narrowed as he watched Wrath sideways. "What should we do?"

"He thinks we should leave this to the authorities for now and prepare everything. Greed is already gathering the sacrifices as we speak."

"The authorities?" He asked skeptically, arms crossed in front of his chest. "Ya wanna order some helpless humans to capture them? That Colonel-ass is an alchemist and he killed Lust, or did that sieve you call your brain forget that?"

To his right, Gluttony suddenly looked up, the finger falling from his lips. Slowly he got up from the cold stone floor and stared with empty eyes at his two comrades. "He killed Lust... Roy Mustang killed Lust..." He repeated the words like a mantra, but Wrath and Envy ignored the rambling creature completely even as the plump form walked past them to the exit.

"'He' gave us his orders." The Homunculus inheriting the form of the Führer reminded Envy with a pointed glare. He then turned around and suddenly drew his long sword in one swift motion. In the next instant he stabbed it into the slowly retreating back of Gluttony. Dark blood seeped out of the puncture wound even as he pushed it further through the dazed body.

Startled out of his trance-like state, Gluttony turned his head around to face the attacker with a deep frown. The spot were the sword left his belly was already sizzling with alchemic energy.

"The orders apply to you, too, Gluttony. Father promised you'd get your revenge soon." With that King Bradley withdrew the bloodied blade and sheathed it carefully.

Looking somewhat sad, Gluttony slumped back down and stared at his large hands lying on the dirty ground.

"I'm hungry." He muttered to no-one in particular.

"Prepare to move out. They should reach the northern border in 39 hours."

-.-.-.-.-.-

God, he was tired.

Eyes almost closed, the Colonel watched through the remaining slit the world outside the car window. The landscape around them had changed from Central's suburbs gradually into vast fields that seemed to go on forever until they touched the horizon and vanished in the bright blue sky. Oaks and willows moved their crowns in the slight breeze and Mustang listened to the far away melody of birds.

The world was still alright here.

The head lying on his left shoulder moved slightly and slowly he cracked his burning eyes open to look at the blond hair spilled over his arm. One of Riza's hands lifted from where it had rested on the leather seat between them and she placed it unconsciously on his left thigh.

The 1st Lieutenant was fast asleep, just like the Major in the driver seat.

They had been driving down the road for almost twelve hours and it was already early in the afternoon. One and a half hours ago, Mustang had decided that it was time to take a break. So right now, Armstrong, Hawkeye and himself were seated (mostly) asleep in the unmoving car.

Hawkeye had slept straight through their journey, obviously in need of some rest to recuperate as much as possible. As long as they couldn't find a doctor with no connections to the military whatsoever, she would have to put up with the little medical supplies they had.

A small smile played at his lips when he heard her sigh in her sleep. Roy was really glad she had finally settled down, having had a hard time with nightmares only hours ago.

"Am I interrupting a moment?"

Startled, Mustang looked up to find Havoc outside the window, grinning cheekily back at him. The Colonel almost blushed, but decided in the last second against making a fool out of himself.

"Don't be jealous, Havoc." He replied evenly, smirking when he found a frown on the other man's face. "I'm sure, one day there will be a woman using you as a crutch as well"

"As long as you keep steeling them from me, I'll have to wait until ya lose your hair."

Huffing, Mustang made a face. Losing his hair? They could shoot him instead and there wouldn't be any difference.

"Did you-"

"Yeah." Jean interrupted his former superior, exhaling a lung of smoke and watching mildly interested as it dissipated into nothingness. His hand scratched the head of Black Hayate absently, trying to ignore the dirty stick lying for the umpteenth in his lap. He had been playing with the lively critter for a good half an hour by now and his arms (still tired from the last night's hunting) were dead weights.

"I found a farmer down the dirt road. He let me use his phone and I called the guys over the lines Fuery set up. I gave them their orders and told them of our plans." Havoc continued with a sigh, his eyes cast up at the sky, watching some small white clouds travelling past them. Again Hayate touched his hand with his cold, wet muzzle, trying to gain the human's attention.

"They're moving as we speak"

"We should reach the border in two days." Mustang mused, his eyes shifting to the woman sitting beside him. Hawkeye was still wheezing with every breath she took, but at least no blood was visible at the corners of her mouth. The bandage around her bullet wounds had been changed two hours ago, so he could let her sleep another few. "Maybe we could try and find a motel. I know its risky, but we need to stay somewhere for the night. It's too cold out here for her to sleep in the car."

"There is a farmer house three hours from here. They sell rooms for the night to travelers." The voice of Major Armstrong erupted from the front seat. Mustang watched him turn his almost bald head around and found him suppress an uncharacteristic yawn. "I stayed there once with Brigadier General Hughes on our way from a crime scene. It will be sufficient for our needs."

Mustang nodded in contemplation and finally settled his gaze on Riza's still hand lying on his thigh.

"Havoc get back in. Gentleman, I hope you have some money with you."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Aaaaaal!!"

No answer.

"Aaaaaalphoooonse!!"

Nothing.

"Waaaah!! I'm not gonna work here like a slave alone!!" Edward Elric yelled at the top of his lungs. The stalactites of ice vibrated dangerously as the echo of his outburst shook them and for a second, Ed feared he would soon have nothing to do because the sharp things would fall from the ceiling and pin him to the ground like a tiny ant.

A vain popped angrily and with a "Waaah!!", he pulled at his blond-brown hair. A low groan moved through the rows of pointy icings.

"Ups." He mumbled, eyes glued to the waving ice picks above him.

"Brother?" Swiveling around, the dangerous objects above his head totally forgotten, Ed gave his little brother one of his infamous death-glares."Where the hell have ya been, Al! I've worked my ass off and you wander around like a stray dog!" Ed demanded to know, pointing the pole he was supposed to get the stalactites down with at his only remaining family member. The metal stick clonked against the metal armor as Edward drove his brother backwards.

"Ha ha ha... sorry, brother, but I was looking for 2nd Lieutenant Falman." Al answered sheepishly, scratching the back of his helmet in embarrassment. Edward watched him with narrowed eyes, aware of the absence of 'his' 'anti-icing-device.

"Huh... and?" He demanded to know, his temper -as always- thinner than the pants around his freezing butt. "Where is the Lieutenant? He should be helping us anyway."

Alphonse sighed and watches as his big brother resumed his position at the side of the corridor, arms extended to their full length. He was trying desperately and in vain to reach the stalactites, but soon gave up again. When he turned back around to face Al, he was grunting a vast diversity of curses under his breath.

"He is AWOL."

That evoked a deep frown from Ed. "AWOL? As in missing from work? Doesn't sound like him... when was the last time someone saw him?" He asked his younger brother, rubbing his chin deep in thought. The alarm bells were soundly screaming in his mind.

"Some Major saw him use a public line yesterday."

"Hmm... weird. Maybe he just got sent to another place. I mean, this base is huge. He could be on the other end and no-one would be smarter." That sounded lame even to him. Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity, Ed placed the long pole against the wall behind him. He had that strange feeling developing in his stomach that normally told him trouble was around the next corner. Maybe they should do some investigating on their own. It was not like that overbearing Major General Armstrong was anywhere near and before she would find out, he was sure they'd already found Falman anyway.

So...

"Major Elric."

Swiveling around at the mention of his name, Ed came face to face with a short young man. Private Cookie, his nameplate read, wasn't by any means large and it delighted Ed to no ends that the poor man had almost the same height as him. So he was pretty short! Muahahaha!

"You have orders from the Major General to start investigations on the whereabouts of 2nd Lieutenant Vard Falman!" Saluting stiffly, the man turned on his heels and sped back down the corridor. When he was out of earshot, Ed regarded Al with a baffled expression.

"Maybe we should start at the phone." Al offered, unaware of Ed's feeling of having been mind-violated. Damn those military dogs...

"Sure thing, why not."

Together they made their way through the base to where the public lines were situated. They existed only for social calls, when men wanted to call their wives and children, or when there had been a death in their close family. So considering the Lieutenant didn't have family, resulting in no possibility of a death case, what the heck had he been doing at the public lines?

The phone hung silently in front of the two brothers, keeping the conversation that had been held through its insides a secret.

One hand in his trouser pocket, Ed picked up the receiver and studied it from all sides.

No, there was nothing.

"Ed!" Al suddenly announced, one big hand pointing at the angular device. "There's a note"

Brows risen, Ed found indeed a small note stuck between wall and telephone. Only a small white corner of the paper was visible and with some difficulty, the young alchemist pried it out of its hiding place. Slowly, he unfolded the small sheet, his frown deepening when he read the sentences.

"It's hinting that a love affair between some Elizabeth and an unknown man, has finally ended in a pregnancy... Wait!"

A glint of excitement flickered through Edward's eyes. Pulling a pen out of his coat pocket, he drew circles around the first letter of every word standing at the beginning after every dot and comma. After some moments he held the small sheet up against the light.

'Meet me at 5 pm at the road sign. Be careful of pursuers. Ltd. Falman', he read the hidden message silently.

Hastily, Edward pulled out his silver watch, snapping it open and reading the time. It was almost half past four. They would need a good thirty minutes to reach the sign, mentioned in the letter (there were two roads leading to the base and only one bore a sign), which meant they had to hurry to make it. Saying nothing, he thrust the letter into Al's large hands, and darted down the dim corridor to the next exit. Only seconds later, Al had caught up and was jogging easily beside his brother, the note still in his tight grasp.

There was no need to share their thoughts.

Beside the fact that there might have been someone eavesdropping on their conversation, they both knew that the reason behind Falman's sudden absence and the encrypted letter directed without a doubt to them had to evolve around certain happenings in and around Central. The Colonel had probably made Falman deliver a message directly and without witnesses to the two of them. Maybe the Homunculi were moving or something worse... another dead...

'Don't let it be one of them', Ed thought, biting the inside of his cheek as he ran down the stony road. His coat was flapping open, the icy wind making his skin prickle from the cold. His hair got slowly covered in a sheen of white snow and he felt his right shoulder starting to ache.

"Hopefully, no-one is hurt." Alphonse mumbled beside him, echoing Edward's thoughts once more. His metal feet made hollow sounds on the partly iced road, but there was no-one around to hear them at this hour. It was already dark and the next change of shift was only due in four hours.

When Ed looked up, the strong wind blowing snow relentlessly into his flushed face, he found the road sign only some ten meters ahead beside a large rock. And even from where they were, he could make out an unmoving form leaning against said stone, looking more like a snowman than anything else.

"2nd Lieutenant?!" Ed called out.

In response, the figure pushed away from the rock and waved his hand into their direction, beckoning the pair to come closer.

"Major Elric!" Falman saluted briskly, his hands hidden within thick gloves. His nose was bright red and dripping from the long wait.

"It's Edward." The young blond said a bit unnerved. He had always hated the Major in front of his name. He was a state alchemist, nothing more, nothing less. He wouldn't notice a boot camp even if his life depended on it!

"Uhm, Edward." The older man tested the name, his hand slowly lowering from the obligatory salute. "I am glad you have received my message and followed my instructions." The relief sounded genuine and Al thought he had seen the other man sigh.

"What's the matter, Lieutenant?" Ed demanded to know, wrapping the coat tightly around his shivering body as he finally felt the hard northern 'breeze' gushing around him and engulfing the three in its cold, freezing grip. He should have dressed in something warmer that morning, but Ed just couldn't leave without his favourite trouser and red coat.

"A situation has occurred." Falman started, an edge of uneasiness in his voice clearly audible. "There was an incident at Central Headquarters. It appears 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye has gained the interest of the Homunculi and was injured." He paused, finding a grim expression on Ed's face. Al looked impassive to the outer eye, but the Sergeant was sure, the boy inside the armor would have a similar look.

"The Colonel, as well as Major Armstrong and Jean Havoc have been able to bring the 1st Lieutenant in safety and are currently on their way towards a hiding place here in the north. The Colonel gave orders to meet him at a rendezvous point in approximately 30 hours from now on."

Bringing his hands up, Ed shook his head slowly. "He's heading this way? What the hell happened anyway? What do they want with the 1st Lieutenant? I thought she was supposed to be a hostage!" He shot back, feeling a headache creep up on him. This was so strange, that it sounded almost plausible! They were after Hawkeye? That didn't make any sense, dammit!

"The Colonel will answer your questions when me meet him an..."

"What? We are supposed to come along? I know this is serious, but we're here to look for someone!" Ed interrupted the white-haired man rudely, pointing an index finger at the base behind them. That damn shrimp girl and her stupid shrimp cat! They should have chained her against Al or locked her up in a cellar! Why had she left anyway!?

"I am truly sorry, Major Elric, but the Colonel gave a direct order! In case you were to disobey, I am to tell you that the life of Mrs. Rockbell is in danger just like the lives of you two." He was again saluting as he barked out Mustang's orders at the superior in front of him.

Ed's hands curled into tight fists as he stared at the snowy ground in front of him. He didn't even try to hide the rage shining clearly in his eyes, when he thought about the statement.

"Winry...", he heard himself whisper with a pang of guilt. It was their fault that she had been pulled into the crossfire and now, with the plans of the Homunculi, she was standing again between the deadly lines. A hostage who didn't know in what grave situation she had been maneuvered into without the slightest knowledge of the various, grave reasons.

"She is still at that automail shop in the-" Al began, voice higher than normal. He felt desperate now that he knew Winry was in immediate danger and too far away from them for any kind of help.

"Do not worry. The Colonel arranged something." Falman answered ominously, turning around on the spot.

Ed and Al watched him gravely, but knew that they had little options left. Either stay and find that damn girl or get Winry before the Homunculi did.

Silently, the two brothers followed the retreating back of Falman.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Yo!"

Lifting the face protection, Winry stared at the door with a frown. A half assembled arm lay on her workbench, several surgical instruments sticking out of joints and metal 'bones'. A short, stoutly man was standing in the doorway to the automail shop, a bag in one arm, a sandwich in his other hand. It was already dark outside, but the dark orange hair was enough for Winry to recognize who was standing in front of her.

"Lieutenant Breba, right?" She asked tentatively, hoping the rank was right.

"It's Breda actually, but call me whatever ya want." He replied around a mouthful of food, some crumps falling onto his shirt in the process.

"Winry Rockbell," he began, placing the bag on a nearby counter. "I am here to escort you to the north."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS??

For now anyway! Next chapter already in work!

Sorry this one didn't contain any big action scenes or love scenes for that matter, but I had to get the pink and yellow plot bunnies jumping! And how cute they are!!

Sorry this chapter didn't come sooner, but first my computer broke, then Christmas arrived and then the internet wouldn't work.

Now please review, 'cause I need to know whether you like where this is going or not!! Thanks a bunch to everyone who has dropped feedback so far! Love ya!!

Oh, and I need to explain something: In the manga, they call King Bradley 'Wrath', right? But in the anime he's 'Pride'. I'll stick to the manga for this one though, so please bear with it... I'm as confused at times as you! n.n

Next on: A fight, a revelation and a change of plans.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's rambling:

I wanna thank everybody who reviewed or made me an alert or did both for that matter! I am endlessly happy that there are people out there who like this as much as I do!! Feel hugged!!

-()-()- indicates flashback

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Seems like our luck hasn't run out, yet." Havoc mumbled, a slight grin tucking at the corner of his mouth. He had found one last cigarette in his trouser pocket and one last match. The right way to finish an awful day. Though, the fact that fate would spare him another few hours in which he would have surely gone nuts with the lack of glowing coffin nails wasn't the luck he was talking about.

"They don't rent rooms to travelers anymore, but they are willing to make an exception for us." Armstrong whispered in a low tone of voice, his large form towering impressively above the shorter Colonel. He was leaning against the side of the black car, his charcoal eyes closed as he listened to the Major.

"Tche... seems like Elizabeth has to get pregnant after all." He finally answered, pushing away from the cool car. His dirty coat was flapping around his legs from the strong wind and he was beginning to get cold. They hadn't had any real time to dry their clothes thoroughly and as much as he hated to admit it, his boxers were feeling awfully wet.

"We'll have to leave Hayate outside though." Havoc offered as he exhaled the smoke from his very last cigarette.

"He'll find somewhere to stay at night... not gonna be a prob."

"This was the only explanation I could think of, which would keep their suspicions at a minimum, sir." Alex cast a dark look at the unmoving woman lying peacefully on the back seats. If anybody found out about the Lieutenant's real condition, the military would be faster after them than they could mumble a 'shit'. The old farmer was well acquainted with the military, having served under the Führer's command until Ishval had arrived. A veteran.

"Don't worry, Major." Roy told him, one hand patting the other man's shoulder friendly. "I'm so very excited whether it'll be a boy or a girl." A lopsided smirk spread out on his features as he opened the back door and carefully sat down on the edge of the leather seat. Slowly, he eased Riza's head on his lap, jaw tightening in sympathy when she winced from the movement.

"Hawkeye?" He asked tentatively, his bare hand pulling a loose strand of golden hair behind her ear. When she didn't show any signs of wakening, he took her hand and squeezed it slightly. "Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Movement under closed lids told him that she was slowly responding and after a few long seconds, her eyes opened, revealing weary obsidian orbs. They flickered across her surroundings, until they came to rest on the smiling face of a black-haired man. Her face pulled into a grimace, when she suddenly registered where she was exactly lying on and with an effort and a grunt of pain, she lifted her head and tried to get up into a sitting position.

Mindful of the injuries on her back, Mustang helped her as best as he could without straining her. When she finally sat upright, she exhaled a long shuddered breath. Riza's hands were trembling, but she was too tired to care about it. Her head was still dancing limbo and Hawkeye only hoped there wasn't enough left in her churning stomach to make her throw up into the Colonel's lap.

"Hawkeye." He tried again, waiting until she slowly nodded her head in affirmation. Her eyes were closed and he could only guess that she was fighting nausea, having had his own fare share of bullet holes to know of the painful aftermath (especially when combined with an infection and numerous other wounds).

"We are going to stay at an Inn for the night." He began slowly, carefully studying her features for any reactions. He was glad when her face relaxed and her hands stopped shaking so violently. "The problem is, we have a badly injured, half-unconscious woman with us." At that, a short chuckle escaped her lips and the corners pulled up slightly into a smile.

"But who can distinguish half-dead and pregnant women anyway these days?"

A frown appeared on Riza's face and she pried her heavy lids open. Her eyes sought out the Colonel's and with an effort she lifted her arm, making a show of making a sorry excuse of a salute.

"Is that an order?" She asked in a mock-stern kind of voice, her hand pressed to her wounded belly. The sight, probably unintentionally, made the Colonel shake his head from the irony.

"Yes, Lieutenant. I'm trying to be gentle though."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"There are only two beds in the room, but I could get you some blankets if you like." An old man told the four people in a low, raspy voice. His hands, dirty from years of hard work carved into his wrinkled skin, gripped the banisters of the stairs leading to the second floor tightly. Slowly the party moved upstairs, following the farmer silently.

"Were you heading north?" The ex-soldier wanted to know, directing his question at the man walking right behind him.

"No, actually we are on our way back to Central!" Roy explained slowly, his arm slung around Riza's waist as he helped her as best as he could with the difficult climb up the steep, creaking steps. Until now, she had given a perfect imitation of a woman being in the last weeks of her pregnancy, having even made a show of holding her bulged belly (the car would have to live without some parts of the seats for now).

The heavy breathing sounded pretty convincing, but Roy and his men knew just why exactly, Riza's breathing was so strained.

"We want to be home when my first son arrives." Mustang continued talking with false cheerfulness, grinning like a bad imitation of Maes Hughes whenever he had thought or talked about his precious women. He was playing the awed, mindful soon-to-be-father as best as he could without rolling his eyes at his more than evident and blatant lie.

The old man in front of him turned around slightly at that, frowning when he found a brightly laughing man standing some feet below him. "You sure, sir?" He suddenly asked, brow risen as he regarded first Roy and then Riza with a strange look.

"Don't they all want a son, sir?" Startled, Mustang eyed the woman leaning heavily against his side out of the corner of his dark eyes. A small smile covered her pale lips. Carefully she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and lifted her arm from where she had been supporting herself against the wall. Her fingers made contact with Mustang's chest, sending an electric jolt through his body.

"As long as the child has ten fingers and ten toes, it's not important whether it's a boy or a girl, right?" Her eyes crinkled into a genuine smile as she withdrew her hand and splayed her palm flat against the cold wall again. She had a hard time keeping herself upright and hoped they could finally move on. She wouldn't be able to prevent herself from coughing for much longer.

"That's right, honey." Roy suddenly thought that it had sounded wrong the way he had said it.

Nodding, the owner of the house continued to head upstairs. When he finally reached the top, he stepped aside, allowing Mustang and Riza through first. His eyes then fell on the large form of Major Armstrong, a thoughtful expression appearing on the veteran's tired features. Alex had slung Havoc unceremoniously across his shoulder and was now carrying the fuming man up onto the second floor, the folded wheelchair tucked securely under his free arm.

Jean on the other hand looked like he was ready to murder, being more than embarrassed to be seen like this. But there hadn't been any other way to handle this and so he had complied and had grabbed their luggage (if one could call it that) and was now huffing silently away.

Alex nodded curtly to the old man, when he as well had reached the corridor.

"The room is down the hallway." The farmer mentioned with his hand to the dark end of the corridor. Some portraits of his younger self and a woman were littered across the yellowed walls and a small cupboard with mismatched drawers stood beside their door. "The bathroom is across the door. If you need anything, I'm downstairs."

With that, he turned around and started descending the stairs to the lower floor. Two steps before his feet could touch the even ground, he looked up again, eyes hollow. "Do you want me to send the bill to Central Headquarters, sirs?" He asked, his thoughts seemingly far away.

"No, that won't be necessary. Headquarters don't usually pay for private trips." Armstrong replied formally. Without further ado, he turned his attention to the dim corridor and headed to the slightly ajar door, Roy and Riza having already reached them.

Carefully, Mustang pushed the door open and hobbled slowly inside. He heard Hawkeye exhale a shuddered breath and before she could help herself, she started coughing, her whole form shuddering in pain. With the help of the Colonel she sat down on one of the small beds, her free hand covering her mouth as the last cough wracked her body.

"Easy." Roy whispered, crouching down in front of her bent form, his hands pressed to her shoulder to help her support her weight. Her loose hair fell in front of her face as she nodded slowly, her own heartbeat thrumming a relentless rhythm in her pounding temples.

The door behind the couple closed with a soft thud and with a flick of his wrist, Armstrong locked it. Grunting, he sat down Havoc in a near chair and unfolded the wheelchair with practiced movements. Jean watched mildly interested, his gaze soon wandering across the room, inspecting their surroundings for the first time.

Beside the two beds, little else decorated the small room. There were only two chairs (one he was currently occupying) standing beside a table that looked like it had seen better years and some shelfs with dog-eared books on the wall across the only window. No cupboards, flowers or anything else. Not even nightstands. The room looked almost naked.

"Major." The voice of Roy Mustang caught the other men's attention. He carefully moved the exhausted woman around, making her lie down on the uncomfortable bed. He whispered gently a "Sorry" and started unbuttoning her shirt, extracting the part of the car seat from underneath. He revealed the bandage and made a face when he found a small red stain marring the plain white. "Could you get me the med kit and some water?"

Doing as he was asked, Armstrong opened the small bag and pulled out the med kit. It was already missing half of its content, but there was little they could do about that gruesome fact. Without a word, the Major handed the kit over to the waiting hand of Colonel Mustang.

Roy had pulled apart the loose ends of the shirt completely and was currently in the process of unwinding the old bandage. Riza lay still, knowing the Colonel would do a clean job.

"Boss?" Havoc asked into the near silence, pushing himself up on his arms and moving awkwardly into his waiting wheelchair.

"You mind me asking a question?" He wanted to know. His chin rested in his palm as he waited for a reply from the man sitting across from him on the edge of the first bed. The Colonel pulled the last part of the bandage carefully out from underneath Hawkeye's back and dumped it on the carpet beside his boots.

Glancing at the partly paralyzed man behind him, Mustang nodded curtly, knowing what was on the Lieutenant's mind. And to be honest, he himself would give a lot to find out the answer.

"Why are they trying to get their hands on the array anyway?" The irritation in his voice was clearly audible and with a sigh, Mustang turned his full attention to Jean.

Havoc watched as Mustang and Armstrong gazed at him, their thoughts blatantly written across their features. They didn't have a clue. But when his gaze settled on Riza, he found her eyes averted to the window. She was chewing on her bottom lip, her left hand fisted into the blanket she was lying on.

"Riza." He said her name gently, sitting up straighter in his vehicle. She seemed to know something... even if it was only a wild guess on her side. But when it troubled her that much... did he really want to know what was crossing her mind right when she turned her pained eyes to him?

Pained from what? It wasn't the physical pain that clouded her thoughts.

"Sir." She began, one hand creeping up to her bare chest and draping her shirt over her nearly exposed breasts. With a grunt, she rolled onto her side, ignoring the jolt of pain running through her torso from the broken ribs. Carefully, Riza eased her body into a half sitting position, eyes casted downwards at her legs.

Mustang watched her concerned, but remained silent as he waited for her to be ready.

"Before my father died...", she began in a soft tone of voice, brows furrowed at the painful memory. "Before he died, he told me something... strange."

Cocking his head to one side, Roy regarded her with curious charcoal orbs. When she didn't continue after some long seconds, he stood up from the bed and kneeled down beside it on the sickly green carpet.

"Just what exactly did he tell you, Hawkeye?" His soft voice implored gently.

"He stared at the array and said... 'Red like your eyes, a fire will burn. The doors in your mind and fate shall turn'."

A strange silence descended upon the four soldiers, the three men watching the only female with deep frowns.

After a while, the Colonel slowly rose from the floor, his gaze transfixed to Riza's bare shoulder. He had a far away look in his eyes as he combed a hand through his messy black hair.

"I've heard from the doors... Fullmetal mentioned it once in a report about his researches regarding the Philosopher's Stone, but... 'doors' could mean about anything. A metaphor maybe, or the doors to some secret room." Mustang started pacing the small space between her bed and the window, hands in his pockets and rubbing the silky material of his ignition gloves.

"Maybe it doesn't mean anything at all." He finished in a defeated sigh, sitting down heavily on the second bed.

Looking away from her comrades, Riza lay back down. She closed her eyes and listened as Major Armstrong made his way towards her. After some seconds, she felt his large hands touch her side tentatively, asking silently for permission.

Smiling, eyes still tightly shut, Hawkeye listened to the rustling fabric of her shirt and suppressed a grimace when the antiseptic stung her bullet wound.

As Armstrong dressed her injury, he was deep in thoughts.

Wasn't the Stone meant to be made of human lives? Hadn't that been the reason why Edward Elric had wanted to stop his researches after he had found out? But if the transmutation circle on the 1st Lieutenant's back had anything to do with the Philosopher's Stone, then was there a way to create it without the sacrifice of people?

Tucking the end of the white bandage behind the wrappings, he stepped back from the bed to take a good look at his work.

Riza opened her eyes then and smiled gratefully up at the large man towering protectively above her. She started to button her shirt, when she turned her head around to face the Colonel still lying on the other bed.

"Sir, I-"

A hand shot up from beside the still man, signaling the other occupants of the room to be quiet.

Straining their ears, the four comrades listened intently into the silence of the night.

After a while, the noise of tires scraping over stones could be heard from outside on the street and with a 'hmpf', Roy sat up on the bed. His eyes flickered to the locked door and then back to the small window, the darkness outside almost complete. He couldn't see anything. No lights, neither from a car nor from a flashlight.

Had he heard a ghost?

His guts was telling him otherwise.

"Major." He whispered, but the other man had already moved to the door, silently unlocking it. He opened it slightly, the space between frame and door just enough to look into the dim corridor to the stairs. After some long seconds, he lifted his hand, three fingers displayed.

"Havoc to Hawkeye." Mustang mumbled as he got up from the bed, a slight creaking sound disturbing the tense stillness.

He walked deliberately to the door, his hand reaching into his pockets. Withdrawing his gloves, he slipped his hands smoothly into his tools. Beside him, Jean wheeled slowly -trying to make no noise- towards the bed. Riza had by now sat up with great effort, her right hand holding her new gun in a trained grip.

"Major, we'll go and have some Smalltalk."

With that Mustang opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, his eyes squinting to adjust to the gloomy light. He could clearly hear at least two people shuffling around on the wooden ground of the first floor. No words were spoken, Neither among the soldiers upstairs nor among the intruders downstairs.

When he neared the stairs, Mustang pressed his back flat against the wall and edged along the surface until his nose was level with the corner. A quick move and he glanced down the stairs to the bottom. He pulled a grimace and lifted his left hand to signal the Major the number of enemies.

Four fingers stuck up and Armstrong nodded curtly, taking hold of the gun tucked in his holster. There was just no possibility to talk their way out of this situation. He knew for a fact, that HQ had declared the 1st Lieutenant already AWOL and the Colonel was officially wanted for the explosions he was said to have set off last night. They would have to 'persuade' them with more pressing arguments.

Before Alex could give his superior any hand signals, Mustang had already stepped around the corner, hands in his pockets and a smug grin on his thin lips.

"Hello, gentlemen." He said, taking the first step downwards. Four barrels were pointed up at him instantly, following his every move. Mustang continued his descent totally un-fazed by their careful reaction.

"Hands out of your pockets, Colonel. We know you are a State Alchemist, so no tricks!" One man, obviously in charge of the operation, barked out and for a second the smirk disappeared from Roy's mouth. His dark eyes watched the uniformed men with a piercing glare. "We have information that you and three other members of the military are hiding in this house."

Seemed like the old geezer had been leaking in more than one place after all. Masking his concern, Roy shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Who said something about hiding?" Another step and he had reached the middle of the stairs. "Why don't we go outside and talk about this like adul-"

An explosion ripped the air, drowning Roy's words in the deafening noise. The heat of fire washed over the Colonel's back, his eyes widening in shock, when he realized where the detonation had taken place. He swiveled his head around, eyes flickering over the top of the staircase. He found Major Armstrong crouching low behind the wall, looking like he had barely been able to dive for cover in the first place, his uniform slightly scorched.

The soldiers were here to kill them. The ones downstairs were only the bait.

A second detonation blazed the air into an inferno, but Roy didn't even register that one anymore.

Riza...

Without thinking, Mustang lifted his right hand silently, index finger pressed to his thumb. Blank eyes stared down at the four armed men, words flowing from their lips. Roy didn't hear them. There was only silence ringing in his ears, filling his mind with cold terror.

Riza.

He saw one of the men pull the trigger of his weapon and instinctively fell to his knees, feeling the bullet whiz past his skull. In the next second, he had already gripped the banisters tightly with his left hand and jumped across the barrier.

Riza!

Mustang landed on his boots with a grunt and immediately rolled to the side, ducking away behind the stairs when he saw another bullet disappear in the sofa in front of him. A white porcelain vase shattered into thousand pieces and water dripped onto the murky carpet.

Still, there was no sound. Only his heartbeat threatening to drive him insane.

Riza!!

'SNAP'

The front door burst into brilliant red and orange. Scorched wood flew through the silence, setting the opposite wall on fire. A man dashed across the space between the door and where the Colonel was hiding, half of his arm missing. In his other hand he held a shaking standard military gun, the barrel pointing directly at Roy's head.

A large fist sent the stunned man reeling into the opposite wall.

Armstrong didn't even pause in his stride, half of his massive form already crouching down beside the Colonel behind the stairs, just as a round of bullets imbedded themselves in the construction the two men had taken refuge behind.

Armstrong was saying something, but the silence around Roy was almost absolute.

There was only one thing he could make out above the nothingness in his mind.

A voice. Faint. Far away.

It was yelling his name.

"Riza." He felt himself form the name on his lips and then he was moving again. Jolting out of his trance, the noise seemed to crash down on him like a bomb. The crackling of fire, pieces of wood flying against walls and glass breaking. Men were screaming orders and threats, and the familiar 'click' 'click' of triggers being pulled.

"Colonel!"

Startled, Mustang looked up to where he had been standing only seconds ago. He felt his hands going slack when his eyes settled on Riza Hawkeye kneeling on two steps, one eye closed as she aimed for one of the soldiers at the foot of the stairs. The man never saw the woman shooting a bullet through his brains. He was dead before he hit the ground in a limbless heap.

To Roy's right, Armstrong got up from where he had been waiting patiently for his turn and lifted his clenched fist high.

It hit the carpet with great force and the ground exploded into sharp edges. Two soldiers barely jumped to the side before they got ripped apart by the transmuted floor.

"Colonel Mustang!"

Blinking a few times, he stared befuddled at the large man towering above him. Armstrong had taken hold of Roy's arm and started to drag him over to the burning hole in the wall where the front door had been a while ago.

"Take Havoc outside." The Major told him in a soothing voice and it was then, that Roy noticed his former subordinate slowly sliding down the partly shattered stairs, his legs uselessly dragging along.

Knowing what to do, Mustang took Havoc's arm and with some curses, he flung the wincing man across his shoulder. Roy felt a sticky wetness soaking through his uniform, his shoulder tensing at the realization.

"Havoc, we're gonna look for a ride, ok?" He asked the man breathlessly as he made his way carefully out of the burning hole out onto the street.

Three headlights suddenly went on, bathing the yard in bright, blinding light. Roy closed his eyes, red spots dancing across his vision from the sudden attack.

"Dammit..." He mumbled, rising his free hand to shield his eyes from the white light.

"Hands down!" A man yelled above the noise, obviously directing his order to the unmoving Colonel. But the man had nothing of the silent threat. Instead of complying, he stared squarely into the brightness to his right, his fingers snapping as soon as he had leveled in on his new target.

The car exploded instantly, the siren going off for a second before dying away in the explosion that ensued. Mustang heard men crying out in pain and surprise, but he didn't care in the least. He was already using the diversion to dash down the uneven path to where they had parked their car.

Havoc groaned in pain, when Mustang jumped over a low fence, accelerating once again.

She was safe. She was safe. She was safe!

The only thought he could form, predominated his mind more than anything else right then. He had to make it and get the car ready for the Major and 1st Lieutenant. Reinforcements would soon arrive and there wasn't much he could do with two injured, himself only a mental wrack right now.

"Freeze!!" A high pitched voice yelled, terror and fear clearly audible in it and Roy stopped dead in his tracks. He felt his breathing quickening as he waited for the soldier to loose his mind completely.

A shot rang in his ears and for a second, Mustang flinched in anticipation, waiting for the missile to hit him. But instead of himself, the frightened soldier behind him suddenly coughed wetly, his last words drowning in his blood as he landed on the fence, blood dripping out from between parted lips.

The grip on Jean's legs tightened slightly when Mustang heard the breathless voice of his Lieutenant echo across the gap between them. "Colonel! Keep moving! I'll cover your back!"

He didn't think twice. His back -his life- was safe for now.

The hawk was watching over him once again.

In the corner of his eyes, Roy saw the small form of Black Hayate fall into step beside him, following him to where they had hid their flight car. It was still standing behind the large bushes and the old oak, the soldiers having either not found it or simply thought they'd not make it that far.

"Bear with it for a second!" Roy told Havoc as he sped around the hood to the driver seat. He opened the door swiftly and unlocked the other doors with the automatic. His ears picked up the click of the locks and Mustang threw the back door open. Not so gently, he pulled Havoc down from where he had been draped over his shoulder and helped him hastily into the seat.

Jean grit his teeth against the pain that jolted through his shoulder and back, a low moan vibrating through his throat.

The door beside him was thrown close again and in the same second, the other doors opened. He found Riza crawl into the seat beside him, one hand gripping her sidearm, still pointed at the inferno some thirty meters ahead. Her other hand was pressed against her side and Jean winced inwardly when he found blood seeping through the gaps between her fingers.

"Go!" He heard Major Armstrong yell and immediately the car shot forward, Colonel Mustang driving it down the dirt road.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Not good."

Looking up, Edward glanced at the man sitting at a table across from him. A self made phone was lying silently in front of him, having not been used within the last ten hours. 2nd Lieutenant Falman had his face buried in his gloved palms, his breath coming out in small misty clouds from between his hands.

"What now?" The older Elric asked in a low voice, his eye travelling to his brother standing by the only window of their hiding place. The three companions had been in the small house for almost twelve hours now and according to Falman's words, the Colonel should have called in almost two hours ago.

But the line was dead.

"He should have called by now and in case there was no further contact, we are to wait for Private Fuery to give us further instructions." Falman supplied, one glove sweeping across his cold features. If he didn't already have white hair, he surely would have gotten them now.

This whole situation was gnawing at his mind and the time with Barry the Chopper in that small hellhole had been a walk in the park in retrospect. He would never whine about those days ever again! Waiting here in the cold, without knowing anything of the whereabouts of the Colonel was driving him insane. The 1st Lieutenant was said to be injured and a the whole military along with a handful of Homunculi were after their lives.

"Instead of giving us the silent treatment, you could finally tell us whatcha know." Ed leant back in his creaking chair, his hands buried in his trouser pockets as he sat lazily across from the Lieutenant. He rather heard than saw Al move away from the frozen window back to them.

"There isn't much I know." Falman said slowly and he shrugged when he found Ed frown back at him. "The first contact was over one and a half days ago in the middle of the night. A voice -I identified it as Jean Havoc's- told me that Elizabeth was pregnant." The chair squeaked slightly, when the white-haired man got up and started pacing the floor, gesturing to the phone.

"Right before I left Central, the Colonel gave us a last briefing in private. We were all aware of the fact that 1st Lieutenant Hawkeye was the one person among us in the greatest danger, knowing the Führer has his hands in this and as his personal assistant she was the number one hostage and was used as a means of exerting pressure on the Colonel."

Rising a brow, Edward waited for Falman to continue. Until now, there was little the young man hadn't already known.

"'Elizabeth is pregnant' is the code for 'Hawkeye in danger', meaning, we were supposed to immediately go into hiding and wait for further instructions. If the 1st Lieutenant got targeted, then that could have meant we were in danger as well."

"But why did they move in the first place?" Al's voice broke the short silence softly, obviously deep in thoughts. "The Homunculi are after the Philosopher's Stone and as long as the Colonel didn't try anything that would interfere with their plans of gaining access to valid information, then the Lieutenant shouldn't have moved further into the cross fire, right?"

A heavy sigh escaped Falman's lips and he stopped pacing for a second, arms limp in defeat.

"If only I knew. All Havoc told me on the second contact yesterday, was that the Lieutenant was injured and that they were heading to the first meeting place up here in the north. Private Fuery and 2nd Lieutenant Breda had been informed already and I was to gather you two and lead you here."

"But now the plan is going down the plughole." Ed vocalized his thoughts and rose from the old chair. His butt was freezing and he'd rather not get frostbite as long as he was out here.

Right then, the phone started to ring.

After the fifth time, Falman lifted the receiver silently and held it to his ear. His whole posture was alert, ready to destroy the device as soon as he confirmed a foreign voice. But to his relief, Kain Fuery started rattling down a number of names that made up their code.

With their code confirmed, Falman relaxed slightly.

"Receiving." He spoke softly. Then he was silent again and only nodded from time to time in affirmation.

Ed and Al watched the exchange patiently and waited until the Lieutenant had put down the receiver again after he had barked a short "Confirmed" into the line.

"So?"

"No words from the Colonel. They are silent." He scratched the back of his head thoughtfully, staring for a long second at the ceiling in contemplation. "We are to travel east. There is a second meeting place located in a mountain side and everyone will go there in case the deadline was up."

"What about Winry?"

A long uncomfortable silence descended upon the three of them and Ed averted his gaze to the floor, watching his boots in fake interest. This had been one of the most important questions occupying his mind and he finally wanted -needed- to know what was happening.

"Our first plan contained an escort of Mrs. Rockbell to our hiding place. The Colonel was aware that as soon as you got involved, Mrs. Rockbell wouldn't be safe anymore." Falman suddenly looked away from the two brothers and Al thought he saw regret flickering across his face.

"Lieutenant Breda was sent to the automail shop, but when he arrived around midday, he was told that Mrs. Rockbell had already left with one Lieutenant Breda."

"Envy." The realization made Ed's fists tremble in rage and fear.

The Homunculi had Winry! They had gotten their filthy hands on her and there was nothing he could have done to protect her! He felt so helpless that he got almost sick. A strangled groan escaped his throat and he felt the distress emitting from Al's armored body even as he laid a soothing hand on Ed's shoulder.

"We will bring her back, Ed." He whispered, a slight catch in his voice. "They obviously need her alive, or they wouldn't have gone through the trouble."

Nodding his head in silent agreement, Edward Elric looked up again, focusing his attention on the only link between them and the Colonel. And via the Colonel they would find Winry.

There wasn't much of a choice and with a deep sigh, Ed slapped his palms down on the old table.

"We better get moving then. Don't wanna let the Colonel wait too long."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Silence.

'Let go', a voice in his mind told him softly. 'Let go... let go!'

Slowly, Mustang pried his hands open, letting go of the steering wheel. He had been gripping the wheel so hard, even now that the car was parked in the middle of a vast field, that his fingers were cold and hurt. A long shuddered breath escaped him and with his eyes closed he allowed his head to fall back against the seat.

To his left, Major Armstrong moved slightly around, his uniform jacket rustling soundly in the stillness of the night. It was cold outside and the temperature inside the car was barely higher.

"1st Lieutenant?" Alex directed his question at the woman sitting in the back seat in a soft tone of voice.

When she didn't answer, Roy's eyes snapped open again and he swiveled around, concerned that she had been injured badly after all. But when he looked at her ashen face, he found her tired obsidian orbs staring right back at him.

"Hawkeye... I-"

"Idiot." She interrupted him mid-sentence, closing her eyes for a second when she felt her side sting in pain. Her hand was still pressed against the reopened bullet wound, trying as best as she could to stem the flow. With their med kit gone, there was little any of them could possibly do to take care of any wounds.

New or old.

Havoc, sitting motionless beside her, barked out a short chuckle. Almost instantly, his face contorted in pain and he clutched at his shoulder, wincing when he felt the stickiness of his own blood smearing across his hand. They had survived. Luck or fate, Jean didn't know. He just hoped that their guardian angel wasn't going to take a vacation any time soon.

"What?" The Colonel asked with a frown. The second time he had been called 'idiot' by his Lieutenant and he had the distinct feeling that it wasn't the last one.

"You are an idiot!" She pressed out between clenched teeth, glaring darkly back at the baffled man. "You lost the will to fight because you believed in foolish assumptions!" Roy froze in his seat, his jaw muscles tightening when he listened to Riza using his own words against him.

"Don't let yourself get confused." She continued, her voice softer this time as she stared at her free hand lying limply in her lap. Her empty sidearm rested on the seat beside her, black from the fire. "Never stop thinking. Never give up the will to live."

The words stung deeper than he liked to admit and with a surge of shame he turned away. As he looked out of the dirty window, he felt his eyes starting to burn. He could have lost her back there.

Again.

Roy Mustang realized with a some bitterness that he wouldn't survive the day they finally took her away from him.

"I'm..."

He had lost his head the moment he had jumped to the conclusion that the explosion had killed her. He hadn't even wasted one thought over Havoc, which gave him an even worse taste. What a wonderful commanding officer he was. Ha! A stupid dog that didn't know what to do the moment it loses sight of its comrades.

'I'm sorry.' He wanted to tell them -her. But in the end he didn't feel that way after he had been so sure that he had lost the most precious thing to him. When the explosion had ripped apart half of the house, the only thing he had been able to think of, had been a way to revive her.

Bring her back. Riza...

What he really felt right now, was gratitude.

She was still there. Here with him. She was still here to keep his world complete for another heartbeat.

"I'm glad you are alive." He finally managed to say, his voice uneven. He swallowed another tremor hastily. She was safe. Why was he still shaking. Dammit!

A small smile pulled at the corners of Riza's lips when she heard Mustangs words. She remembered the first time he had told her that and sighed at the memory. They were fools. It seemed like the two of them would never learn to survive without one another.

"I'm sorry I worried you, sir."

Again silence reigned among the occupants of the cold car, all four companions deep in thoughts.

After some minutes, Armstrong cleared his throat and looked back at Jean Havoc.

"I hope you can bear with it for another few hours, Lieutenants." He told the two soldiers in the back seats with his head inclined. "We haven't contacted our allies within the chosen window of time. They should be heading to the east as we talk and we should meet them there."

"I agree." Mustang mumbled, his hands back on the steering wheel as he started the engine of the car once again.

If everything went according to their plan, then Fuery had already told the others of their new destination. In the distance, Roy could see the first shy rays of light bathing the horizon in an eerie glow.

The rising sun was their destination.

Carefully, the Colonel maneuvered the vehicle out of the uneven field and on a dirt road again. With the military hot on their heels, they couldn't use the busy streets and going by train (as fast and convenient as it may have been) was absolutely out of question. They would get arrested faster than they could hide in a wagon.

They would have to drive down the net of not so frequently used dirt roads littering the landscape far down into the east where they gradually disappeared with the beginning mountains and the desert. That way they would need another seven hours, but he wanted to make it within that day to their hiding and meeting place. Roy could just hope that at least the rest went according to their plan.

After a while of silence, Armstrong spoke up again. He had never been comfortable when confronted with grave stillness and he rather kept conversations alive as long as one had something to say.

"Back there. How did you escape from the explosions, Lieutenants?"

Frowning, Roy glanced at Riza through the rearview mirror and wasn't surprised when she looked back at him.

He himself had been silently asking that question for hours now, but after their last conversation, he hadn't thought it to be important anymore.

"You had barely left us alone, when Hawkeye heard a noise outside the window." Havoc began, glad for the diversion from the numbing pain in his shoulder and arm. "She got over and looked carefully outside. After a few seconds, she started retreating and-"

-()-()-

Surprised, Havoc watched as Riza bumped with her legs against his wheelchair, her eyes still locked to the dark window.

Her hand was shaking, whether from the strain from getting up or from something he yet had to learn of, he didn't know.

"Yo, Riza." Jean whispered, his hand closing softly around Hawkeye's wrist, trying to gain her attention.

Startled out of her trance, Riza swiveled around. She stared wide eyed at Havoc and suddenly averted her gaze to the slightly ajar door.

"We have to get out of this cell." She mumbled, her gaze flickering back and forth between Havoc and the door. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, dulling the aching in her side and upper arm to the point where she didn't even feel the wounds anymore.

Three cars were parked outside and two men were standing right in front of their window, one of them holding an egg-shaped object in his hand. Riza didn't need any light to know what was about to happen. They were going to bring them down with anything they had. Grenades, ambushes, guns and whatever they could think of.

One question rushed through her mind, when she heard the glass of the window breaking: Just who did they think were they hunting? It looked like a tiger hunt, as if they were chasing a bunch of mass-murderers. And not some AWOL soldiers.

"Jean! We have to get into the bathroom! They're gonna blow up this place!" Havoc had barely heard the first few words, when suddenly a small round missile flew through the new hole in the window and landed with a thud on the wooden floor. It rolled around for a few seconds, before it came to a halt at the foot of the bed Riza had been lying in.

Eyes wide, Jean started moving.

He watched as Hawkeye dashed past him and flung the door wide open. But instead of getting outside, she went back into the room that was about to explode.

5...

Jean reached the bathroom doors and pushed them open with his knees. Some voice in the back of his mind told him, he'd surely get hematomas and he almost laughed at the stupidity of the thought. The door banged against the wall and Havoc didn't waste a second, rolling inside as far as he could go without falling into the tub.

4...

Two hands gripped him by his shoulders and with a startled yelp, he felt his body being pulled out of his wheelchair. He got pushed unceremoniously head first into the dry bathtub, his nose bumping against the porcelain wall. He heard a door being slammed shut and hoped Riza was inside this time.

3...

Suddenly she was there, sitting down beside him in the tub. She grabbed blindly for his shirt and dragged him completely into the white confined space. Jean felt her straddle him and looked up only to find her pull a mattress over her descending body, sealing the rim of the tub almost completely.

2...

"Put your hands over your ears!"

Her mouth was right beside his ear and he could feel her breath hot against his skin. She was lying right on top of him and he could actually feel Riza's heartbeat thrumming against his own chest.

1...

His jaws clenched in anticipation and his eyes closed.

An explosion ripped the air around him, bombarding his senses to the point he feared his eardrums would rip. The heat of a flame engulfed him and he felt Riza move slightly on top of his body.

Suddenly a second detonation made his world spin again even before it had settled down from the first time. The bathtub started vibrating around them and without further warning the side burst open.

He glimpsed the steel of his shattered wheelchair flying towards him and had only time to close his eyes again, before one sharp end imbedded itself in his shoulder. Blinding agony shot through his side, stars dancing across his vision.

Jean didn't notice that the weight of Hawkeye disappeared from his chest and with what strength was left in him, he grabbed the steel pole and pulled it out of his flesh.

"Jean!" A muffled voice. "Jean! Help me, you're too heavy!"

Riza was desperate. There was a chance another attack was coming, but they weren't safe here anymore. She had to get Havoc outside and probably help the Colonel and Major with the escape. She may not have felt any pain, but her body was still very tired and right then she felt her arms going slack without the strength to heave Jean out of the shattered tub.

Biting hard onto her lip, she pulled as hard as she could, relief flooding her when she found Havoc responding to her urgent calls. He used his good arm to push his upper body over the edge of the bathtub and with an effort, Riza managed to cushion his fall with her own body.

Together they dragged Havoc out of the scorched bathroom into the burning corridor.

Suddenly another explosion, but this time, it had come from downstairs.

'Colonel...', she thought, cold fear clawing at her mind. Her fingers dug into Havocs arms and she doubled her efforts to reach the stairs.

After long, torturing seconds, she finally got the chance to take a look down the staircase and was surprised to find a large hole ripped into the front of the house where the door had been. What made her swallow a relieved sigh, was the fact that she recognized the way the hole had been made.

Colonel Mustang -the source- was crouching behind the stairs. He and Armstrong had taken refuge behind the wall from the bullet fire.

"Jean, stay here for a second." She told her heavily breathing friend above the noise. "I'll have to-"

Her eyes fell on the motionless figure of her former superior kneeling behind the stairs, a soldier missing one arm standing in front of him, gun pointed at Mustang's head.

"Colonel!" She yelled, confused when Roy didn't move an inch to protect himself.

It was Armstrong who saved him by killing the enemy with one fist.

"Colonel Mustang!" She yelled his name again, her ears ringing from the noise and chaos engulfing her in a tight grip.

What was he doing? Why wasn't he moving?

Biting the inside of her cheek, Riza hobbled down the first few stairs, her hand fumbling for the sidearm in her waistband. With her eyes glued to the two soldiers downstairs, she pointed the barrel at the closest man who was aiming for Mustang.

Her index finger pulled back the trigger and a single bullet pierced the man's skull like it was jelly.

It seemed like Mustang escaped his stupor then and he blinked a few times as if trying to regain his composure.

As he looked up to where Riza was kneeling, their eyes locked for a fraction of a second.

Alive.

Now move.

-()-()-

Half a hour after Havoc had solved the mystery of the adventure "how we survived the grenades", the occupants of the car hadn't uttered another word. Only Black Hayate's occasional whimpering could be heard from time to time, but apart from that, silence reigned once again.

Havoc and Hawkeye were fading in and out of consciousness, both from their injuries and the exhaustion of the fight.

Roy caught himself more than once staring through the rearview mirror at the restlessly moving woman in the back seat.

He wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her again. He would solve the mystery and would find a way to eliminate the threat the Homunculi were posing.

There was just no other option.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS?!?

Third part done! YAY for me!! I so loved writing this! I was all tingly (like Barry when he felt his rotten body near o.O) when I wrote the action scenes and I hope it made you happy as well!

Now review and make my day!

Next time: Cart- versus kidnappen.


	4. Chapter 4

Author speaking:

I know this took me a while, but there is so much to do lately. I beg for understanding and forgiveness!!

We have another fight-less chapter here, but I hope it's enough to inspire you for a few reviews!! I'm absolutely awed at the amount of wonderful feedback, because it's the quality that matters and whenever I read one of your comments, I can't stop grinning like the cat that got the cream for a good day!! (my sister only shakes her head by now...)

So I wanna thank everybody who read/reviewed this and/or made me an alert, because you are all just so KAWAIIIII!!

Hugs go to my buddies/best friends Maren, Shan and Katrin!! (e)KHW 4ever!!!!!!!!!!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

147...

Inhaling deeply, Jean closed his eyes for a second, a nauseous feeling spreading out through his system once again. His mouth went dry and he clenched his hands into loose fists as he fought for composure. He wouldn't vomit now. There wasn't anything in his stomach anyway and dry-retching was about the worst thing one could do on such a beautiful day.

When he opened his eyes again, he found Major Armstrong's small orbs staring down at him, obviously concerned for Havoc's well being (or the state of his clothes... vomit always left disgusting stains on uniforms). Jean pursed his lips and smiled tightly up at the tall man, too tired to give him a thumbs up or a verbal evaluation of his physical state.

148...

The arm under his back shifted, pulling Havoc slightly upwards into a more convenient position. The arm under his legs had probably moved too, but thanks to the wonderful fact that he wouldn't feel a nail being hammered through his shin, he couldn't detect any movement of Armstrong's limb either.

"Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Alex' booming voice asked. Havoc watched the mustached man sideways, suppressing an exaggerated sigh and some eye-rolling on his side at the stupid question.

No, he wasn't 'alright!

Havoc was pissed.

Two hours ago, the inevitable had happened (though they had all secretly hoped and prayed that a miracle would spare them of their fate). The car had stopped in the middle of nowhere, still about 50 kilometers away from their destination in the eastern mountains.

They had run out of gas, the tank as dry as the desert between Amestris and Xing. And without any intensions of getting caught while filling the car at a gas station, there hadn't been any options left but to wait for the last drop to evaporate in thin air. With one last stutter, the vehicle had slowed down to an absolute standstill and once again silence had reigned, the only noise having been the grinding of the Colonel's teeth.

149...

Without his wheelchair or at least a cart (Jean had shivered at the thought of getting rolled around through the supermarket like some tasty tomato), there had been only one way to follow his comrades to their destination. Not that he would have been able to move the wheelchair on his own anyway. His injured shoulder had rendered yet another limb of him immobile and getting rolled around by the Colonel would have been too embarrassing for Jean to bear.

So Major Armstrong had pulled Jean out of the unmoving car and had swept him into his arms like he was a flyweight, not even allowing any room for possible discussions. He had marched off down the dirt road right behind the Colonel and the 1st Lieutenant, Havoc in his secure embrace, without another word.

Jean felt like a damsel in distress.

Just that he wasn't some poor princess and only the 'distress' part worked fine with him. And his knight in shining armor could have been the sturdy horse of said knight. Alex didn't even break a sweat and that with Jean Havoc being taller and therefore heavier than most other men.

150...

Out here in the vast nothingness of the hilly landscape, Havoc had -after two hours in which he had been carried by a man who sparkled when he showed off his muscular masculinity- slowly started to get bored 'and' irritated. There was little to admire, except for grayish brown hills that indicated the soon beginning of the mountains, some cropped fields and a few lonely trees and bushes littering the grassy scenery.

Conversation among the four travelers had been little to nonexistent with the Colonel and Major always on full alert of their surroundings and to be frank, Havoc felt too drained to even attempt any sort of Smalltalk. He and the other three soldiers weren't of that kind anyway, so he could keep that little energy for himself.

151...

So what to do when there wasn't anything to do?

Havoc had decided to occupy his blank mind with the only thing that could have been called entertainment.

He counted how often Riza Hawkeye stumbled.

Right after it had been decided (without his consent) that Alex would carry him the last 50 something kilometers, the 1st Lieutenant had given the Colonel the ominous risen eyebrow and a 'don't-even-think-about-it'-look. She was known among the men working under her command (and her CO) for her infamous pigheadedness and was obviously proudly keeping up her head in front of a determined Colonel Mustang.

Roy had tried being a gentleman.

He had tried appealing to her common sense.

He had even tried playing CO and order her.

But in the end, Riza had climbed out of the car, lips pursed and had walked past the fuming Colonel. They had all heard the slight groan and had seen the suppressed flinch when her side had hurt, but had all decided to let it be. If Riza Hawkeye didn't want to get carried by Roy Mustang, then Riza Hawkeye didn't want to get carried! There had obviously been absolutely no point arguing and so they had all given in and silently waited for her to wave the white flag and let the Colonel have his way with her.

After about two hours, fatigue was slowly creeping up on the exhausted, injured woman and Havoc constantly found her faltering in her step or stumble over the smallest rocks... or Black Hayate walking too closely beside her.

152...

The only question was, how much longer Roy Mustang would walk by her side without even mentioning the fact that she would be faster if she lay down. Jean guessed another three stumbles and Riza would find herself in Mustang's arms and would probably be too tired to even complain. He just wished Breda, Falman or Fuery could be here. They could have started another one of their famous betting pools.

"Sir." The voice of Riza Hawkeye caught Jean's attention at once, sounding so foreign in the noiseless world around them.

Roy, as well, had turned his head around to face the woman walking beside him and stopped in his tracks to frown down on her. Her hand was pressed to her side and she was breathing harder than normal. Riza's voice sounded strained as she glanced at the Colonel with tired eyes.

"I am sorry, but-"

"We'll take twenty." He interrupted her softly. As enchanting as the thought of the 1st Lieutenant admitting that she needed a break and possibly help may have been, somehow, Roy thought that making her say it was like forcing a proud queen to her knees. She was a worrier in a men's world and had always been forced to play tough even in the face of death and her stubbornness partly originated from that cruel fact.

He wouldn't feel victorious in such a situation and so he gave her the chance to keep her face -in front of herself.

Closing her eyes for a second, she walked slowly to a nearby rock and with a hissed "Ouch", she sat down on the uneven, hard surface, allowing herself a moment of silence in her mind. A good fifteen kilometers lay behind them, but Riza felt like she had just gone through training in boot camp.

She hurt.

She could actually not remember when the last time had been that she had felt like having been digested and hit by a train. If only her side was the only source of her growing fatigue. In addition to her two bullet wounds, her rib fractures were giving her a hard time breathing and that she had strained them way too much during their fight and flight last night proved to be a bigger problem than she had first thought.

The thing that distressed her the most though, was the fear and doubt gnawing at her consciousness.

They hadn't talked about it since last night, but secretly, all of them were deep in thoughts, trying to find the answer to the mystery that had brought them here. What did they want with the array? Did it really have anything to do with the Philosopher's Stone? What was the meaning of her father's words? Or were they just the thoughts of a dying man having gone insane?

Why was she pulling them all into this?

A deep sigh rolled through her lungs, her ribs protesting vehemently against the movement with a jolt of white pain. When the agony subsided to the point where Riza could actually breathe again, she suddenly became aware of other parts of her body that seemed to plan some non-violent resistance without her determination's consent.

Maybe she should have let the Colonel carry her after all.

He wouldn't have been able to do it for almost 50 kilometers anyway and would have taken more breaks. For the sake of both him and the other two men. He shouldn't be worrying too much about her and maybe direct some of his concern to Havoc and Armstrong instead of solely focusing it on her.

There wasn't much they could do out here, without a car, med kit or even water, anyway.

Before Hawkeye even heard the crunching of military boots on the gravel, she felt the Colonel's presence drawing closer as he was heading towards her. When she opened her eyes, she found him standing right in front of her, blocking the bright sun from blinding her with his broad shoulders. His hands were buried in his torn trousers and when she allowed her gaze to travel to his face, she found his dark-rimmed eyes staring down at her.

Startled, she noticed that his eyes were shimmering brighter than normal.

"Sir?" She asked tentatively, hoping he wouldn't break down in front of her like that day at the fresh grave of Maes Hughes and accuse the rain for wetting his face. Because he was useless in the rain, giving the rain all the fault was like admitting his inability to keep his emotions hidden behind the walls.

She had long ago learned how he worked.

"Stop playing tough little soldier for once, Hawkeye." He told her, his voice sounding defeated. He looked away for a second and the light behind him engulfed him in a strange halo. Riza squinted her eyes when she found the world around her explode in brilliant light. One hand moved in front of her orbs to shield them from the brightness, when suddenly an image appeared in her mind.

Doors.

Whiteness.

Blinking a few times, Riza shook her head slightly.

Had she just imagined that? But it had felt so real... like she had seen them really before...

"Hawkeye?" The Colonel's voice brought her out of her inner rambling and she looked up again to find him looking away into the distance. His eyes were narrowed and a deep frown hovered on his forehead as he suddenly brought his index finger up to his lips.

"Do you hear that?"

Riza looked down the road, following Roy's gaze to where the street disappeared behind a small hill. She couldn't see anything (or anyone for that matter), but there was indeed a slight noise coming from behind the turn. It sounded vaguely familiar and its source was -without a doubt- coming nearer.

"Yes... sounds like the hooves of a horse..." She mumbled thoughtfully, sitting up straighter and ignoring the momentary increase of pain in her body. A hand appeared around her right upper arm and carefully Mustang helped her up into a more or less upright position.

"Colonel." The Major said from some feet away, Havoc still bundled in his arms and looking like he was ready to die of annoyance. "We should hide for the moment."

"Agreed."

Without another word, the four comrades walked off of the road and half walked, half slid down the slope beside the street. At its foot were some low bushes and rocks, enough to provide some shelter for them. It was probably a farmer anyway, but they had to be on the safe side. As unlikely as it may have been, but the Homunculi could have already found out about their change in directions and could be after them again.

Ducking behind the boulders, they watched the road in silence, listening to the noise of four hooves slowly heading their way down the path. With a slight "Shh…", Riza signaled her canine friend to be silent.

After some long moments, a slight jingle echoed through the air and almost in the same second, the head of a small horse appeared at the top of the slope, nostrils flaring from the straining task of pulling a cart.

It looked ahead without sparing them a second thought, its tail whacking from side to side to chase away some nerving flies. The shabby cart itself was occupied by one... two... no, three persons. The first sat in the front and lead the horse.

The other two individuals were slumped in the back, one of them barely tall enough to look over the edge, an antenna of his blond hair whipping back and forth in the slight wind. The other person though was big enough to match the Major's impressive stature and was wearing a metal armor that twinkled in the setting sun.

"I can't believe it..." Riza heard the Colonel mumble beside her and almost instantly, he shot up from where he had been kneeling, scrambling hastily up the slope and onto the road again. He slipped twice and ripped a large hole into his trousers, but he ignored that completely.

He was vaguely aware that Armstrong and Hawkeye followed his lead, though much slower and more considerate of themselves (and Havoc), but Roy was already opening his mouth, his eyes glued to the slowly rolling cart in front of him. The two in the back had already spotted him and the smaller one had an disbelieving look on his face, mouth agape.

"Long time no see, Fullmetal." Mustang barked in a loud voice, one hand lifted as he found Alphonse Elric wave a big hand back at him in greeting.

"Colonel Mustang, Sir!" Falman, having swiveled around where he was sitting in the front, stared at his superior and saluted briskly. The horse was still walking at a lazy pace and didn't care the least, when suddenly the 2nd Lieutenant pulled hard at the reins. Shaking its large head, the brown animal came to a halt in the middle of the street.

Almost instantly, Black Hayate jumped happily around the unfazed horse, barking and yapping at the much larger animal like it was nothing short of a puppy.

Making a face as if he had just stepped into dog feces, Ed got up from where he had been sitting. The annoyance was radiating from his body in lively spurts of dark energy as he watched the Colonel walk towards them with his hands hidden in his dirty trousers. He was looking way too nonchalant for Edward's liking.

"Colonel..." He mumbled, bringing his hand up into a mock salute.

In return, Roy made a show of standing up on his toes and looked around him as if he was searching for something in the distance. "I could have sworn I heard someone talk to me, but-"

"Waaah! Ya wanna say, that I'm a tiny bacteria you can't even see without a microscope!?!" Ed yelled, jumping down from the cart. He was fuming as he walked up to where the taller man had stopped with a small grin covering his lips. He just loved to tickle Ed's ego from time to time and make him explode like the kid he was.

"Brother!" Al chastised the blond. "Colonel, I am glad you are alright."

Al bowed slightly in front of the black-haired man and when he straightened again, his glowing eyes settled on the three soldiers coming finally to a halt behind their CO. Gasping, Al brought a hand to his metal mouth in shock at the sight of their physical state.

"What the hell?" Ed asked incredulously, staring wide-eyed first at Armstrong carrying Havoc and then at the silent, ashen 1st Lieutenant. Riza had refrained from holding her side for now, not intending to concern the two youngsters even more than they already were.

"Hello, Edward. Hello, Alphonse." She said with a soft smile gracing her dry lips.

"Sirs!" It was Falman's voice that erupted suddenly between Ed and Al, making them jump in surprise at the outburst. The white-haired man was already pushing through and saluted again in front of the four higher ranking officers lined in front of him. His squinted eyes settled finally on Havoc and Riza, silently assessing their injuries.

"2nd Lieutenant." The Colonel began, taking a step towards him. "Good timing as always. Please help Major Armstrong with Havoc. His shoulder is severely injured and needs to be taken care of."

In return, Falman snapped to attention and walked hastily alongside the tall Major towards the cart. Carefully, minding Jean's wounds, he helped Alex lying his burden down on the wooden floor. Havoc pressed out a groan of pain between his clenched teeth as he tried to shift his back into a more comfortable position.

"Colonel." Ed directed his attention back to the slowly walking man. Mustang had placed his left hand on Riza's lower back and guided her to the waiting vehicle. She allowed the small, feather-like touch without a word of complaint, glad he hadn't swept her up in his arms and carried her the last few meters.

"Time to explain."

Not answering, Roy helped Hawkeye up onto the cart. When he was sure that she was not going to fall out as soon as they were moving, he turned around and walked to the front where Falman was already sitting with the reins once again in his hands. Black Hayate was still pacing around the long legs of the uncaring horse.

With a huff, Ed got back onto the cart as well, Alphonse having already sat down on the side of the now moving vehicle.

The clatter of hooves filled the air again and for a long moment, everybody was silently following their own train of thoughts.

After a while, Edward's eyes fell on the 1st Lieutenant where she sitting across from him. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slightly labored. He had already noticed the way she was trying to move normally, but now and then, she would flinch the slightest bit and her hand would unconsciously move into the general direction of her right side.

Apart from the fact, that her complete outfit was ruined with dirt and was even partly burned, Ed could easily see a dark stain that was without doubt dried blood from a wound underneath.

"Is it bad?" He finally asked, Riza's eyes snapping open immediately. She stared at him for a long second, before her obsidian orbs softened and she gave him a small smile.

"I've been worse."

That she was playing a role, was more than apparent to the older Elric and with a shake of his head, he looked away.

There was no use digging deeper when she was blocking him off completely. She had always been one of the few people around him and Al, who tried to treat them their age and not for their reputation. Ed was aware that Al relished those few moments when someone actually saw the child inside the armor, but Ed was never sure whether to be grateful or annoyed.

They were trying to protect the two brothers, but in the end, there was nothing they could do.

"Fullmetal?" The Colonel asked without turning. "The explanations will have to wait till tonight."

-.-.-.-.-.-

A low rumble vibrated through the ground, making the device on the small creaky table topple onto the floor. It broke into several pieces and moved slowly across the wooden panels as the shaking increased in force.

Suddenly, the side of the house broke away, falling down into a large gaping hole in the rocky ground. A cloud of dust rose from the depths, but immediately vanished as the strong icy wind blew it away in all directions of the sky. Almost at the same time, the rumble stopped and silence descended upon the snowy landscape.

"Tiii...erd..." A dark voice strained to the surface of the pit. A hand clawed at the edge of the hole, small rocks and frozen dirt sliding down the edge. A masked head appeared then, followed by the massive body. With slow movements, the creature crawled out into the open, the strong wind blowing his black hair into his strange face.

"Sooo... coooold..." 'He' mumbled as the sturdy legs moved into the second remaining half of the house.

His small eyes scanned the interior slowly, but there was nothing of value inside. The phone had been broken and two chairs lay scattered on the dusty ground.

No-one was there.

A somewhat bewildered frown spread out on the masked forehead and the creature lifted a massive hand to scratch his greasy scalp. With a groan, he turned around and stared down into the darkness of the tunnel that opened up underneath him. Snow was already covering the ground in a thin sheen and the wind whistled through the channel.

"Soo... tire...some..." He slowly muttered as he crouched down in front of the hole he had dug into the massive rock of Brigg's cliff.

Without another word, he jumped down and disappeared again inside the mountain.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Colonel, Sir!" Fuery barked out, when the doors burst open and Roy Mustang stepped into their hiding place.

Nodding curtly back at the short man, Mustang allowed his eyes to inspect the inside of the small house. A large amount of the room was occupied by Sergeant Major Kain Fuery's instruments, phones and a vast diversity of technical devices strewn all over the place. Uncountable meters of cable connected just as many machines and built a net of brightly colored snakes.

"Get Havoc and Hawkeye into the second room, Major. Alphonse, would you help him?"

The two large figures nodded and without another word, Al helped Riza up the few stairs and walked her through the messy room into a second bedroom. Major Armstrong was hot on his heels, the unconscious form of Jean Havoc lying in his strong arms.

Mustang's eyes followed the four figures until they had vanished out of sight, when his ears suddenly picked up the noise of the flush of the toilet upstairs. Making a face, he let his gaze travel over the walls, finding some pictures hanging not straight anymore.

He felt the familiarity wash over him, remembering darkly the last time he had been in here almost fifteen years ago.

It had been three days after the owner -his only aunt- had died. Since then, he had used it two or three times as hiding place, the one he had been hiding from not always another person. Often enough, especially after Ishval, the enemy had been his own mind.

"Ya couldn't have gotten a more murky place, huh?" Ed asked, waving a hand in front of his nose as he took the first real breath of old, dusty air. He found a large table standing against one wall. A broken plate littered the floor underneath and some guns and munitions were sprawled out on the table instead as decoration.

"Yo, boss!"

Looking up the staircase that was leading the way directly down into the living room, Roy found 2nd Lieutenant Breda waving a casual salute down at his former superior. He was still in the process of buttoning his trousers and his hands were wet.

"Breda." Roy acknowledged him and stepped further into the room.

"Chef, I-" He began, but was cut short by Roy's lifted hand that signaled the other man to be silent. Roy spotted a chair and sat down heavily, one of his bare hands combing through his messy hair. He really could do with a shower, he decided.

"Falman already told me everything."

Edward averted his eyes momentarily, feeling his guts tightening once again at the thought of Winry having been taken hostage by the Homunculi. They had threatened him before with her well-being, so who was guaranteeing him that they would keep her alive and not lay a single finger on her?

"Sir." This time it was Fuery. The short man stepped around his dear equipment and stood at attention in front of Roy's slumped over form. "May I ask, what has caused the change of plans?"

"We were attacked last night. No communication possible at that time." He explained shortly, watching the Major through tired eyes. He hadn't slept much for almost three days now and the exhausting escapes were finally taking their toll on him.

"You did well arranging everything, Kain."

A slight blush covered Fuery's cheeks at the unexpected praise and he saluted once again briskly before turning back to where one of the radios was spitting out distorted, encoded conversations. Two men were seemingly talking about a fire in a house, but Roy suddenly felt too tired to care either way.

With the door closed, only the lights of the candles illuminated the small room, the sun having already vanished behind the high mountains that surrounded the house. It was around 7 pm, but the darkness outside was already nearly complete.

No moon, no stars.

The world was black just like his mind.

"Now the right time?" Ed wanted to know. He had decided to sit down against the wall beside the door that lead to the second room on that floor. Al was still inside and he heard a hushed conversation between him and the Major. Something about crusted bandages and paralysis, but he guessed he'd get to know the details soon enough.

"I am myself not quite sure what exactly we are dealing with here." Roy began, successfully suppressing a yawn. His eyes fell on a pot with cold soup and without wasting another thought he took the dirty plates from a shelf and started filling them with the stew. Some overdone potatoes and a few pieces of brownish meat swam at the surface, looking like they had been cooked twice already.

But the Colonel had seen worse in his life and in his opinion nothing sucked more than field rations. Noodles tasted like chicken and chicken tasted like mud.

"Falman, bring this to the others and get some yourself." Mustang mentioned to the partly filled plates. He stared down at his reflection in his own soup and grimaced when a potato submerged in the yellowish liquid, the rippling surface of the liquid distorting his image.

Feeling his own stomach rumble suddenly, Ed got up again and filled himself the last plate. He didn't allow the soup to linger long enough on his tongue to register the taste, knowing the stew was probably at least a day old from the looks. But he was hungry beyond words and thirsty as well. There was little he could do about it right now.

Gulping down another spoonful, he directed his attention back on the silently eating Colonel.

After a while, the Mustang suddenly stood up and placed his empty plate on the dirty table. He gave Edward a short look and headed without another word to the entrance of the bedroom. He could already see the Major's form sitting on a nightstand, silently enjoying his first real meal within the last 52 hours.

Hands in his pockets, Ed followed Roy silently, eyes travelling from his brother where he was tending to Havoc's shoulder back to the Colonel and finally settled on the person, they were obviously heading to.

The 1st Lieutenant lay still on her back, one arm thrown across her face to cover her eyes, the second draped over her slowly rising belly. Her breathing had slowed down, but she looked unhealthy in the light of the candles.

"Hawkeye." Roy said softly, watching as she lifted her arm from her face. Her eyes were half closed as she frowned up at him, looking like she didn't recognize him in the first moment.

"Can I show them?"

Nodding in reply, Riza rolled carefully onto her left side, mindful of her injuries. She had already gotten used to the dull, permanent pain in her side and had long ago forgotten that her arm had been wounded at all. The things that bothered her the most were her ribs and the exhaustion.

Roy knelt down beside the bed and carefully took the collar of Riza's shirt. Ever so slowly, he pulled it down, allowing her time to move out of the sleeves until her torso was naked except for the new white bandage around her midsection.

Some angry red cuts were strewn across her skin, but what made Ed's eyes go wide, was the large array covering the young woman's back from the nape down to the lower back. His brain immediately accessed the information flooding his senses as he registered the most dominant features of the complicated transmutation circle.

"We believe, they are after this." Ed dimly heard the Colonel's voice say. His eyes were transfixed to the black ornament, his legs moving on their own accord towards it. He didn't see the body 'attached' to the tattoo, his mind only filled with the meanings of the different parts.

Al watched his brother out of the corner of his eyes, even though he felt his mind being dragged back to the array.

He recognized several icons, among them a sigil that looked like the array the Colonel's ignition gloves were bearing.

But what had shocked him the most, were the two dragons. Their long snake-like bodies were composing the outer line of the large transmutation circle, the other prominent parts lying inside in a complicated order. Alphonse frowned inwardly when he found a large burn obscuring the left side of the array.

"Al... you see the same thing, right?" The voice of his older brother sounded somewhat distant and a slight tremor hovered at its edge, but Al could have mistaken it.

"Yes." He answered thoughtfully, stepping up beside his brother and right behind the Colonel. Roy watched them silently, eyes narrowed when he understood that they knew a great deal.

"It's for human transmutation."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Xiao-mei?"

A bush to her left rustled slightly as something moved inside. With a frown, the young girl crouched down in front of it, her legs sinking even deeper into the snow.

"Mei-chen." The man standing beside her lay a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder to gain her attention. "You shouldn't be kneeling in the snow or you'll catch a cold."

Mei-chen pursed her lips and nodded curtly up at her traveling partner, getting up again from the cold ground. She dusted her coat off of the white powder and stepped back slightly from the bush, when suddenly a black ear peeked out between green needles.

"Xiao-mei!" The black-haired girl squealed in delight, kneeling down again and pulling the little panda out of the bush and into her warm arms. It snuggled against the soft material of her coat, shivering slightly from the cold. A strong breeze made her braided hair fly over her head and with her free hand, Mei-chen grabbed them and tucked them back into the hood of her long jacket.

With some effort, she freed herself from the tight grasp the snow had on her thighs and trudged through the deep masses to where her companion was waiting for her to catch up. He had his cape drawn deep into his face and a mask covered his mouth and nose, protecting his still sensitive burned skin from the freezing cold of the north.

"Dr. Marcoh?" Mei-chen asked, falling into step beside the silent man. "Have you deciphered the code of Scar's brother?"

Turning his head slightly around, his brows furrowed at the question. Marcoh was still wondering how such a young girl could understand as complicated things as Alchemy, let alone, pursue the wish to find 'immortality'. It just didn't seem to fit with her carefree, childish attitude. Why was mankind so foolish?

"Not yet." He mumbled under the mask, looking away into the distance. The high mountains of Brigg were close and with them, the border. He guessed they'd need another five days to get across if they finally found the secret path they had been told to use.

"It is more complicated than I first thought. Rentanjutsu and Renkinjutsu aren't really alike that much and using both at the same time needs a great deal of knowledge." He tried to explain, shielding his eyes against the snow getting blown into his face with his gloved hand. "I'd rather not find out how to combine them... it can't bring any good to humanity."

Mei-chen looked up at the disfigured doctor thoughtfully, pressing her best friend against her chest.

Before she could say anything though, her ears picked up the noise of something large moving towards them trough the thick underbrush. Eyes narrowed, she grabbed instinctively for her kunais hidden underneath her coat and drew them out. "Dr. Marcoh, please hide behind the trees." She told the old man sternly as she let go of Xiao-mei. The dwarf-panda sank deep into the snow, barely able to move at all.

"Nah!" A male voice suddenly erupted from behind one of the trees in front of Mei, sounding almost delighted. "We don't want our dear doctor to go missing again!"

The kunais in her tight grasp, Mei-chen watched alertly as a young man stepped out from behind the large conifer. A broad grin, looking almost like a sneer, was plastered on the thin lips and the long black ponytail whipped around in the strong wind.

Shrieking, Mei-chen took an involuntary step back as she recognized the man standing in front of her.

"Ling of the Yao clan!" She gasped, eyes going wide.

The person in front of her cocked his head to one side, regarding the little girl with a risen eyebrow. He shoved his hands into his beige colored trousers and watched her silently for a long second.

"Seems like this emperor's son is pretty famous. Everywhere I go, I meet people who knew the former owner this body." He said with a chuckle, looking darkly down through his slitted eyes.

"W-who a-are you?" Mei stuttered, her hands suddenly shaking uncontrollably. One of the metal kunais fell out of her grasp, disappearing within the thick blanket of snow. Some strange energy ascended from Ling's body, giving him a somewhat black halo.

Something inhumane resided inside the young man, having taken over Ling's body and mind like a powerful ghost. Another shiver went through Mei-chen's form and she tightened her grip around the hilt of her weapon. The fear on her round face was blatant.

"Don't worry, lil girl." The creature started moving slowly to where Mei was retreating, Dr. Marcoh somewhere behind her.

He looked like a predator stalking its prey. "Call me Greed... don't be afraid. I'm a nice guy!"

Before she could react, two hands grabbed her by her short arms, lifting her high into the air. The last kunai fell from her grasp and with a terror and fear filled shriek, Mei-chen found herself suddenly in a headlock and unable to move more than a few inches.

"Marcoh." Greed's voice was right beside her ear and a cloud of misty air escaped his mouth as he spoke solemnly to a row of tall trees. "Follow me and I'll leave her head where it belongs."

In response, a cloaked figure stepped out from behind a tree, a sheen of snow covering the form. He was trembling, whether from the cold or from fear, Greed couldn't tell exactly. With a dark smirk, he guessed it was the latter.

"What do you want from me!?" Marcoh's voice was laced with desperation as he eyed the Homunculus standing in the middle of the clearing with the girl held hostage in his tight embrace. "Why can't you leave me alone?"

"Sorry, no can do." Greed answered with a nonchalant shrug, grinning lopsidedly back at the old man. The bundle in his arms shifted slightly, big eyes looking up at him in horror. Mei felt sick from the closeness to the monster, the dark energy seemingly engulfing her and squeezing her chest tightly.

"We can't just let a very important human sacrifice go to waste, ya know?"

Marcoh's eyes widened in realization and with a cry he fell to his knees, face hidden in his gloved hands.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Come with me."

Her chest hurt. Some ribs were broken and her insides were churning.

Izumi could already taste the blood in her mouth again.

"What do you want from me?" The dark-haired woman demanded to know, one hand pressed to her stomach. Pain jolted through her abdomen and slowly, against her will, she bent over. Blood shot into her mouth and she started retching violently.

'Dammit, dammit!', she yelled in her mind. Her free hand flew to her mouth, dark red liquid seeping through the gaps between her delicate fingers.

"That should be none of your concern." The man -no- 'thing' standing in front of her told her calmly. His long sword didn't even waver as he spoke, the blade never leaving the throat of Izumi's husband. The left eye, that had been hidden behind a patch minutes ago stared darkly back at her, the oroborus sign glowing red on the white background.

Sig didn't even dare and gulp, but he looked his wife directly into the eyes, trying to tell her somehow not to give up yet. They could still fight! He had left her alone once in his life. He wouldn't allow her to walk alone ever again as long as he could still breathe.

His hand clenched into a fist and the muscles of his arms tightened.

In response, Wrath pressed the blade harder against the sensitive skin of his neck, a rivulet of bright red blood seeping out of the clean cut.

A pained expression appeared on Izumi's face and she looked away from her beloved husband. She bit her lip so hard that she drew blood, but it didn't matter with all the red liquid covering her face and hands already.

She couldn't pull him down with her. Not this time. Sig had gone through a dark capital of their life already and she wasn't ready to sacrifice him. How could she possibly live without the one thing that kept her sane every day and night?

"Leave him and I'll not resist."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS?!

Phew!! Next chapter already in work, so stay tuned!

I'll try and keep some of the newest revelations from the manga going in this story. And as you may have already found out, I love getting lots of people into my stories and throwing Izumi, Marcoh and Mei-chen into this will be essential for the future!

btw: I love Sloth!! He's almost as cool as Gluttony!!

Next time: understanding, decomposition and recreation - the survival of the fittest begins


	5. Chapter 5

Author speaking:

I'm so delighted that so many FMA fans out there seem to like what I'm producing here! Love you all!!!

This story contains some explicit theories I thought up while reading the manga for the first time and that are the reasons why I actually started writing this story in the first place! They're a bit complicated to describe, but I hope you'll understand them somewhat!! If not, tell me!

WARNING: contains spoilers for every damn chapter released so far!! And some RoyRiza fluff ahead!

There are some VERY IMPORTANT notes at the end!! Please read them!!

And now: r&r

-()-()- means flashback

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He felt... he felt like he... as if...

Colonel Roy Mustang didn't really 'know' how he was feeling right now. Maybe like a rapist or like he was violating something sacred. Yes. He felt like he was conducting a sin against a sanctuary, desecrating once again a holy temple with his unworthy hands.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Roy lifted the pen for a short second and took a good look at what he had produced so far. It wasn't finished yet, some small parts and dots still missing, but he would change that in less than twenty minutes.

Again the pen descended slowly and the point touched the white skin of Riza's shoulder softly. Mustang watched mesmerized as goose bumps rose across her flesh as soon as he started moving the writing implement carefully over the gross scar marring her beautiful body.

Another word was written down on her back, another dot marking the end of a sentence.

Riza had her eyes closed, her head lying on her crossed arms. She was a bit cold with her upper body completely exposed and the air in the mountains was cooler than she had anticipated. She could just hope, the goose bumps weren't that blatantly obvious to the man sitting beside her.

The pen wandered seemingly aimlessly across her shoulder, the touch so feather like that she feared the Colonel wasn't writing anything at all. She could only hope that he would soon be finished, because Riza wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to ignore 'it'.

Hawkeye inhaled deeply when her skin started to prickle again where Roy's breath washed over the nape of her neck. He was sitting so close to her, that she could feel the cool rush of air every time he exhaled above her and as much as she may have tried, she just could not bring her mind to 'not' notice it.

"I'm almost done here, Hawkeye." He supplied softly, his breath again tickling her oversensitive skin unintentionally.

He wasn't aware that his actions were disturbing Riza's sanity that much, only that her aura, her mere existence was intoxicating to his senses. Roy felt the almost unbearable need to caress her back with his fingers, just like he had done many years ago.

In response, the young woman nodded as best as she could in her current position, her grip tightening on the cushion she was resting on.

She was caught in a sickly twisted deja vue, her mind telling her that she was sitting in that silent room again, her back illuminated by the few candles and an eager Roy Mustang studying her shivering back like he was searching for a solution to life itself.

The second time he had been allowed to see and touch her back had been the physical end of the trauma known as Ishval. He had executed her wish to stop the killing by destroying the array that had brought unspeakable pain upon him and her.

And now, he was completing again the transmutation circle for the sake of their lives. Probably for the sake of everybody in the world, as Edward Elric had described the task they had all been confronted with.

Understanding, decomposition and recreation. The three pillars of alchemy.

'She' herself was alchemy.

The pen lifted once again from her back and biting her lip, Riza waited for the next capital of the recreation of her father's work. But instead of continuing, Roy straightened and silently got up from the mattress. She felt the bed dip slightly as the weight of her former CO moved off of it and with a frown, she opened her eyes.

As she looked up at him, Riza found a distant, almost hollow expression on his face.

Regret.

"It's complete." He mumbled, eyes never averting from the array. He didn't notice Riza's gaze glued to him or the questioning frown on her forehead. All he was aware of, was the feeling of having trespassed an invisible line.

He felt like he had just signed their undoing with his own hands.

The noise of shuffling boots outside finally caught his attention and Mustang swept a clammy hand across his tired features. The pen fell from his loose grasp and clattered soundly to the wooden floor of the gloomy bedroom.

"Fullmetal, Alphonse." He called out, the movement in the room beyond ceasing instantly. "You can come in now."

Carefully, afraid to interrupt anything between the Colonel and 1st Lieutenant, Ed peered around the door frame, Al's head appearing right above his. Having accessed the situation and having declared it as safe, the blond young man stepped around the corner completely, dusting off his black trousers of some nonexistent dirt.

"Took ya long enough." He barked a bit unnerved. Truth be told, Ed and Al had been on edge ever since the Colonel had ordered them out of the bedroom right after Ed had suggested to complete the array for further studying. He had trudged out with some complaints, Al having practically shoved him the last few meters.

Slowly, he stepped closer, his hands in his pockets.

What would they find? Had the solution to all their problems been right in front of them for all this years? Was Riza Hawkeye the part of the puzzle that had been missing all along?

He hoped that his guts was once again right. That he would find the way to finally restore Al's and his body. That he would be able to open the doors and drag the waiting, skinny form of his little brother back into reality where it had belonged from the moment he had been born.

Ed hoped it would give him the answers and strength he needed to rescue Winry.

His gaze settled finally on the completed transmutation circle on the woman's back and he allowed his eyes to roam over the work of either a man having gone insane or a genius. Ed yet had to decide which one was the right description, but as his brain consumed the information invading his senses and as his eyes lit up in comprehension, he realized that this masterpiece had been done by someone who must have inherited both genius and insanity.

In the corner of his eyes, he saw Al walk around the bed the Lieutenant was lying on and pull out a chair. He sat down with a metal clank, eyes never averting from the sigil. He, as well, should get more comfortable, a faint voice in the back of his preoccupied mind told Ed sternly and with a sigh, he strolled to the nightstand. He sat down with a sigh and folded his arms across his chest.

"What can you tell us about it, Colonel?" The young State Alchemist asked the man standing beside him. Mustang hadn't moved from the spot, having merely resumed watching the unmoving form of his fate shivering slightly in the cool air. She looked like a piece of meat that waited for the lion to get it and Roy felt deeply sorry for having contributed to Riza's current position.

"Not much." He began slowly, wetting his lips. "You have probably noticed that the inner circle is identical to the sigil on my ignition gloves." Al nodded eagerly, looking more closely at the mentioned part of the array. Two larger triangles were inside the circle with one smaller pyramid lying inside the center. There was a flame-like feature with an eye in its base and a lizard at the opposite side.

"Yeah, if drawn alone, the transmutation circle can create fire in an oxygen rich atmosphere." Ed explained, his metal hand caressing his chin absentmindedly. He had already studied the Colonel's personal sigil a long time ago, when he had tried to find some weak spot in his alchemy... in order to kick his ass when the right time had come...

"But just like the flame here," Ed said, pointing at the icon right between Riza's shoulder blades, "the sun seems to connect the inner circle with the bodies of the dragons."

"Yeah, I knew the sun had to be an important part of my teacher's work, but I didn't and still don't really understand the meaning." Roy answered truthfully, scratching his head thoughtfully. God knew, he had been trying desperately to find out just what exactly the sun was doing there. It was common knowledge among alchemists, that the sun was a symbol for the human soul, but he didn't know what that particular information could help here.

"I didn't understand it myself when I first saw it."

Getting up from the nightstand, Edward picked up the discarded pen from the floor and grabbed the writing pad he had 'borrowed' from Fuery earlier. Kneeling down in front of the bed, he scrutinized the array for a few seconds, before drawing the different symbols isolated on the blank sheet.

Frowning, the Colonel leant over the blonde's shoulder and watched the youngster listing the parts in an unknown order. "The two entwined bodies of the two dragons stand for hermaphrodism. It's perfection without God's doing and distances the human race from our supposed creator." Pointing at the two heads, Ed drew a circle inside the space where the sigil of flame should have been.

"Anything inside this 'perfect being' is pure as well and if you look at this," he touched the drawing of the sun with his pen, "you should realize that it's the soul itself." Ed looked up to find a deep frown hovering on Mustang's forehead and decided to continue.

"Now to the triangles. The two larger ones seem to be originating from within one another and built a unity. A unity of the male and female existence."

Something clicked inside Roy's brain and his eyes went wide in realization. "The upside down pyramid is a symbol for the female belly and the normal pyramid for the male abdomen. They are intermingled and therefore stand for another perfect being just like the dragons." He concluded, feeling his interest spiking with every new prospect of his teacher's work being unveiled.

"Now if we turn the complete array around so that the heads of the dragons howl at the sky -at God-, the single triangle in the center of it, looks just like the female symbolic figure." Al finished the train of thought and sat up straight, facing the two alchemists across from him. Ed was smiling lopsidedly, the excitement practically pouring from him in spurts of energy. They had found something big here and they weren't finished, yet.

"Now that the array is turned upside down, the flame looks different." Roy suddenly mumbled, gnawing at his lower lip as he gazed at the familiar icon. Never before had he felt so afraid of it than he did right now. It looked like-

"The all-seeing eye." Ed finished Mustang's thoughts unconsciously and patted the eye on his paper with his right index finger. "An eye within a flame. You do remember Mr. Hawkeye's words, right, Colonel?"

Gripping the material of the cushion tightly, Riza's eyes opened for the first time since the Elric brothers had entered. Her arms began to tremble and her breath caught in her throat when she suddenly 'understood'. And with a pang of fear and sadness, she realized that it was too late to turn back and take another road of their lives.

"Red like your eyes, a fire will burn. The doors in your mind and fate shall turn." Roy repeated the sentence he had only heard a day ago slowly, his voice trailing off at the end. What had his sensei done? Why had he loaded such a burden upon his only daughter? Why had he bestowed her with such fatal knowledge?

"The eye behind the 'doors' that sees the truth inside of us."

A strangled chuckle escaped Roy's throat and he closed his eyes, shaking his head like he was trying to deny it. He suddenly remembered the last conversation he had had with his teacher on that day, minutes before he had drowned in Roy's arms in a sea of his own blood.

"He had seen the 'doors'." He began, sitting down on the edge of the bed and burying his face in his sweaty palms. Why hadn't he understood back then? He cursed himself for having been so ignorant for such a long time. If he had just found out earlier, Roy may have been able to change their fates.

-()-()-

Distressed, Roy watched as his sensei, a man he admired more than anybody else in Amestris, scribbled some notes down in a messy drawl. His eyes were wide open, long blond hair falling across his line of view. Why didn't he understand that his genius could help his country? Wasn't alchemy for the people?

"My research has been perfected a long time ago." Mr. Hawkeye suddenly began, putting away the pen as his gaze moved to a spot somewhere in the distance. "It is the most strongest kind of alchemy and depending on how it is used, it can become the most deadliest."

A confused frown appeared on Roy's face and he cocked his head slightly to the side as he regarded the man like he was talking in a foreign tongue. The strongest alchemy? Why wouldn't he use his knowledge then to make the world a safer place to live in? And why hadn't he thought it to be necessary to teach Roy it?

Before the young man could ask though, his sensei continued in a voice that sounded like its owner was too tired to part his lips.

"Alchemists are living beings, who, as long as they are alive, cannot go on without seeking truth." His chin lifted a bit higher and the long greasy hair fell out of his face.

"When they stop their thinking, the 'Alchemist' dies." His hollow eyes shifted to his former student and a dark look appeared in his dead orbs. "That is why I am a human who died a long time ago."

-()-()-

"Yes. It seems like Mr. Hawkeye actually discovered a way to open the gates by will and therefore a way to create the Philosopher's Stone." Ed walked past the Colonel and around the foot of the bed to where his brother was sitting silently. "The most strongest and most deadliest kind of alchemy... he was talking about the Philosopher's Stone."

Ed's eyes fell upon Riza's face and with a pang of sadness he found some lonely tears trickling down her cheek. He watched her for a few seconds crying silently into her arms, but after some moments, he just couldn't stand the sight anymore and instead glared at his boots. He suddenly felt guilty. Why was it that alchemy always destroyed more lives than it saved?

"The Stone consists of compressed human souls and the best way to give a soul a physical form is birth. So the sun, the pyramid and the fire symbolize the womb of a woman giving birth to the truth."

Again, the Stone was within their reach. He just had to extend his arms and never let go of it again.They could finally restore their bodies and could get back the lives the two brothers were seeking so desperately.

His automail hand hovered above the completed array tattooed onto the back of a woman holding all of their fates. Could he touch it? His hand clenched into a tight fist and hastily, Ed withdrew it. Yes, they had the Stone within their reach.

But in the end, all he could do was watch the image of their future fade away.

-.-.-.-.-.-

It was late in the afternoon when Havoc woke up.

The first thing he got aware of was the fact that he wasn't lying in a bed anymore but instead on a blanket on the floor. His shirt was missing and a brown sheet had been draped over his semi-paralyzed body.

The second thing was the nothingness in his shoulder. No pain, no feeling. Plain nothingness. There must have been some strong painkillers lying around there, because he doubted, he'd be that pain-free otherwise.

Somebody could have poked him with a needle and he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference then. Jean tried moving his fingers experimentally and could barely suppress a sigh of relief when they responded to his brain's order.

"Finally." A voice suddenly erupted somewhere behind him and with some difficulty, Havoc turned his head so far around, that he could make out the legs of both of his former comrades Fuery and Breda standing some feet away from him. Black Hayate was sitting right in front of the shorter man, whacking his tail from side to side in excitement.

"We already thought about getting a prince to kiss sleeping beauty awake." Breda mumbled in a sorry attempt of a joke. It got lost along the way though, when half of his sandwich fell out of his mouth and Hayate caught it in mid-fall. The now happy dog trotted away and chewed soundly on the cheesy bred.

"How long have I been out?" Jean demanded to know, his voice sounding way too weak and raspy for his own liking. His throat was dry and itching and his mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. But what was even worse than the thirst, was the almost unspeakable need to smoke.

His last cigarette had been over a day ago and he could murder for a coffin nail right now.

Apparently, Breda had noticed Havoc's unsettled fidgeting, because he sighed dramatically and started walking around his friend's body towards the front door. Jean's eyes followed him and his brows knitted together in a frown, when he found the sturdy 2nd Lieutenant crouching down in front of a bundle.

"Ya know, you could just take this opportunity and quit smoking your lungs into coal."

Breda opened the bag and rummaged through the content. After a while, he fished out a square package and could almost feel the room gaining some notches of light from Havoc's overflowing happiness. When the orange-haired man turned back around, he found tears of joy cascading down Jean's cheeks.

"You'd better hurry. Don't think the Colonel will be happy." He said and opened the new pack of cigs for his immobile comrade. Gratefully, Havoc allowed Breda to offer him one of his addictions and inhaled deeply when the lighter made the cigarette glow. A long sigh and a small cloud of grey smoke rose from Jean's flaring nostrils.

Breda and Fuery watched him, shaking their heads.

"So what did I miss?"

Grimacing, the 2nd Lieutenant put his hands on his hips and glanced shortly at the open door leading to the bedroom. The Elrics and Colonel Mustang were still inside with Hawkeye, but it hadn't been too difficult to hear what had been said inside so far.

"The possible end of the world." He finally answered, wishing suddenly, he had brought more eatable, unhealthy stuff along. He had already run out of sausages and pretzels and soon his last energy bars with banana flavor would be gone as well. Either in his stomach or the first person to uncover his hiding place.

Eyes blank, Havoc's mouth opened slightly, the burning cigarette falling from his parted lips and landing on the wooden floor. Fuery was so kind to bent and pick it up again, but right then, Havoc was too stunned to even notice.

"The what?!" He asked incredulously, bringing his uninjured hand up to press it against his forehead. Jean's insides were suddenly churning, but he doubted it came from the lack of foot. He suddenly regretted not having taken the opportunity to get laid one last time when he had still been in control of his lower region.

"Ya know, that the shrimp boss was looking for that Stone, ne?" Breda continued, his eyes flickering to the still silent room as if to make sure no-one had heard. "Seems like that thing on the 1st Lieutenant's back is capable of-"

"Where's Armstrong and Falman?"

Startled, Fuery and Breda swiveled around on the spot, saluting briskly when their CO appeared suddenly in the door. Mustang looked like he had gone through hell and back, his uniform jacket missing and the first few buttons of his dirty shirt open. His raven hair was even more messy than normal and his face was sickly ashen.

"Th-they're outside, securing the perimeter, sir!" Kain Fuery reported hastily, standing even straighter when the Colonel walked past him without showing the slightest acknowledgment.

Roy headed without thinking to the dirty white sink and opened the tap. He watched the water gush out of the faucet without actually seeing it disappear in the drain and only after some long second did he escape his stupor and brought his hands under the water.

He cupped his hands and gathered some of the cold liquid in his open palms, splashing it into his tired face. Small droplets fell from his nose and wet his uniform shirt, rivulets cascading down his cheeks. The back of his red eyes started to burn again and with a new surge of anger, he slammed his fist against the wall.

With some satisfaction Roy felt the tiles break underneath his skin and his fingers hurt from the impact.

"Sir?" Fuery sounded insecure, not really knowing how to react to the unexpected and uncharacteristic outburst of his superior. He couldn't remember having ever seen the Colonel lose it in front of anyone and had only heard rumors that the 1st Lieutenant had been a witness once.

His upper body slightly bent, Roy gripped the sink so hard, that his knuckles turned white from the pressure. If there had been more energy left in his muscles, he would have ripped it out of the wall and thrown it across the small room.

But all Mustang could do was biting his lip and allow the taste of iron to gather on his tongue.

The man wasn't even sure how he was feeling.

Angry? Devastated? Anxious? Or guilty?

Guilty of what?

'I entrust my back to you, Mr. Mustang.'

"I've failed." His voice was barely above a whisper and like the water still gushing out of the faucet, his energy seemed to drain from him in one sudden rush. Roy's grip on the porcelain sink relaxed and his knees felt like they'd give away right then.

He had failed 'her'.

She had entrusted her back and life to him and he hadn't been able to protect them. What kind of person did that make him? How could he ever look her in the eyes again?

"There is no such thing as 'failed', boss." Havoc suddenly said without thinking. He had never been the smartest guy and most of his abilities evolved around leadership, strength and devotion. If somebody asked him, whether he believed in God, he would probably not even spare it a single thought, let alone answer.

But he couldn't deny the feeling of being caught in something, many called 'fate'. That he had met those people and that he had been stationed under Colonel Roy Mustang's command, had probably been one of the few things in his life he'd never regret. And he was truly grateful, that 'fate' had brought him where he was.

His comrades hadn't given up on him, even when he had seen himself rot away in a bed.

No-one had failed here.

"What do you know?" The anger in Roy's voice was audible and with his eyes narrowed, he turned around to face the man lying motionless on the dirty ground. "I couldn't protect her back then and I can't protect her now! All I ever do is useless! I 'am' useless!"

In his blind rage, Roy kicked the table beside him so hard, that it toppled over, the pot and plates clattering soundly to the floor. The cold soup was spilled onto the panels and shards of the plates broke the murky surface like islands.

Some small drops had landed on Havoc's face and with a grimace, he swept his functioning hand over his cheek.

"I know that you haven't failed me before and I am sure that Riza would say the same thing! The only thing you have ever been doing is protect those below you!" Jean hissed, feeling the anger inside himself boil. He didn't notice Breda and Fuery move aside or that the door opened, Armstrong and Falman entering silently.

He stared at Roy, eyes dark and suppressed his first instinct to smash the next best thing he could reach.

Slowly, Mustang's hands unclenched. His dark rimmed eyes stared down at his mud-caked boots, his head suddenly feeling too heavy to be lifted. He was dimly aware of the presence of his male subordinates, Falman and Armstrong having silently moved inside and closed the door behind them.

Casting his eyes at the small window, Roy found dark grey thunderheads looming at the horizon in the distance. Some lightning jolted through the thick blanket of rain clouds, warning them of a stormy night.

"Did you find anything?" Roy finally directed a question at the almost bald Major. He had to keep his head as long as he still had someone to protect. Havoc had been right and self reproach had never helped anybody before. He would fail them now, if he didn't think straight.

"We have found a single fresh trail of footsteps, but considering that it's the only path across the mountain, it could have been a traveler." Alex reported solemnly as he walked over to one of the lonely chairs. He stepped across the puddle of ruined soup and sat down with a heavy sigh.

Unsettled silence descended upon the five men, their eyes averted at anything but the Colonel who was standing almost impassively behind Havoc's head. He had a faraway look on his face, features devoid of any emotions. His poker face was well known among his subordinates, meaning, he was planning their next moves.

He had vowed to protect her.

Because he was useless in the rain and when she was gone, the rain would never stop.

"Gentlemen." He finally began, his eyes seeking out one after another. "The Homunculi are after the Philosopher's Stone and the 1st Lieutenant holds the knowledge needed for its creation. Our utmost priority will be to protect that knowledge under all costs."

-.-.-.-.-.-

'I failed'.

The Colonel's words echoed through her blank mind. Closing her eyes, Riza bit her lower lip when she felt something inside her chest clench painfully.

As she sat in the silence of the bedroom, goose bumps rose all over her back, the thin material of her new shirt barely enough to keep the cool air from caressing her oversensitive skin. Instinctively, she slung her tired arms around her midsection, hugging herself in an feeble attempt to warm up.

Had he really failed her?

No. There hadn't been anything he could have done except for burning her back completely and they both knew that that may have just killed her. And burdening him with her death was the one thing, Riza Hawkeye would never do as long as she entrusted her life and sanity to this one man.

She'd rather pull the trigger herself.

"Ya know." Edward Elric's voice began slowly. He was still sitting beside his brother, eyes casted downwards at his black boots. The sheet of paper from earlier had fallen carelessly to the floor, his own shadow casting darkness across the alchemic symbols on it.

"He's right."

Her brows knitted together in a frown and Riza sat up straighter, ignoring the sizzling pain in her side and ribs. As her eyes found his face, she was surprised that the young man looked more tired than she had ever seen him and the plain sorrow made his features age drastically.

"We can't have those Homunculi-bastards rampaging around with the Philosopher's Stone. We have to protect that array no matter what." Ed mumbled, his hands clenching into tight fists at his own reasoning. Protecting 'it' was equal to giving up on Winry.

Equivalent trade. A basic pillar of alchemy he had learned to rely on more than anything else in his life.

But would he be able for this one time to abide to the rules?

Everything inside him fought against his decision, his own voice yelling at him to find her! Find Winry! For God's sake!

How could he live on with the knowledge that his actions had brought her down? An innocent creature. It were always the most innocent ones, he realized, a humorless chuckle escaping his dry throat. The irony was making him sick and the sudden need to scream intensified with every second that ticked by.

Suddenly a warm hand closed around his left wrist and startled, he looked up to find Riza Hawkeye sitting right in front of him. Her eyes were dark rimmed and a slight hue covered the cheeks of her ashen face. A small smile covered her lips and with a pang of guilt, Ed found a sympathetic, rueful look in her soft gaze.

"I am so sorry for having you pulled into this." She began and Ed flinched slightly as if he had been punched physically. Again somebody who was at the mercy of some alchemist's hands, apologized to him.

"Don't give up on Winry. We'll find a way to rescue her." Riza told the two boys truthfully, knowing that somehow they 'had' to make sure that the poor girl got back safely. She had told the Colonel once, that she had become a soldier in order to protect as many people as possible and that she would cross a river of blood and shoulder the dead instead of them.

That she would use her gun for as long as it would take to make the world a better place and stop the killing.

Now was not the time to back away from the choices she had made back then, not as long as there were people she could help. And if it would cost her an arm or even her life. Riza had vowed to protect them all. She had vowed to protect 'his' back and 'his' dreams.

As long as those kids weren't able to stand on their own legs, she couldn't allow herself to rest and give up.

No.

No-one had failed her.

Especially not the Colonel.

"Edward, Alphonse." She said their names softly, making eye contact with both. If she really was the vessel for the Philosopher's Stone, then she had to know what she was about to face, because Riza knew that the nightmare wasn't over yet.

It had just begun.

"Tell me everything you know about the Stone and the 'doors'."

-.-.-.-.-.-

The whiteness was almost blinding her sensitive eyes and with a grimace, Riza brought an arm up to shield her face from the light that engulfed her so completely, that she didn't even cast a shadow on the plain white ground.

'Where am I?', she thought with a frown, blinking a few times when she tried to make out anything in the vast desert of light. To her dismay, she found nothing. Not a single being -animal or human- or even the smallest pebble. Only nothingness bathed in searing whiteness.

"Hello?" She asked tentatively, stretching out a hand to test whether there was some invisible wall in front of her.

A shriek escaped her lips, when her burning eyes settled on her fingers. They were short and had the size of a small kid and with a feeling of trepidation, she allowed her gaze to travel down her body. Shocked, Hawkeye realized, that she was looking at the form of a six year old girl wearing a faint pink dress.

"What the hell?!" She pressed out between trembling lips, eyes going wide.

Her bare feet took some insecure steps backwards as if she was trying to get away from herself. Suddenly her back bumped against something solid standing behind her and with fear striking her mind like a jolt, Riza swiveled around.

Her chin moved upwards as she found a set of large doors towering threateningly above her. A strange ornament covered them, looking somewhat like a tree turned upside down. Her eyes fell on a beautifully carved sun and unconsciously, Riza lifted a small hand to touch the engraved symbol.

"Riza."

Startled, she turned around, her wide eyes finding a man standing some feet behind her. His long greasy hair had fallen in front of his eyes like a blond curtain and a large stain of dark red tainted his front, slowly increasing in diameter as she watched like in trance.

"Fa-father?" She asked incredulously, her hands clenching into tight fists by her side. She couldn't believe what or better who she was seeing.

Suddenly, a sonic pressure wave crashed against her, moving seemingly through her very core and Riza froze where she was standing. Her eyes widened even more when her ears caught the sound of a knock originating from the doors behind her.

Gulping, she turned her head around slightly, glancing out of the corner of her eyes at the massive gate.

A small gap had opened up where the doors locked in the middle, absolute blackness lurking out and building a stark contrast to the white brightness of the empty desert surrounding Riza. Her brows knitted together into a frown, when her eyes caught sight of a tentacle-like limb winding its way out of the blackness, slowly creeping towards her.

A hand appeared at the end of the formless limb, small fingers barely touching the front of her young body. She didn't flinch away from the tentacle, instead turning around completely to face the doors.

They seemed to call her towards them.

Like a current dragging her along towards nothingness.

"The feeeee..." A faint voice asked feebly, sounding like the whisper of the wind.

Riza opened her mouth to reply, but was stopped, when the small black hand grabbed her by the collar and started retreating back behind the gigantic doors. Again she heard the whisper, but soon other voices erupted to life, assaulting her senses and engulfing her in an almost unbearable grasp.

Her breathing quickened as she fought hard against the pulling tentacle, her hands clawing frantically at the black formless thing.

"Let go!" She yelled as loud as she could, but the voices around her swallowed her protest like the ocean swallowed ones last breath.

Tears sprang to her eyes and when Riza looked up at the black gap, her body froze in fear.

A large white orb stared down at her, arms going slack. Without any resistance, Riza watched helplessly as more arms shot out from between the opened doors, their tiny hands dragging her slowly towards darkness.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Riza woke with a start.

Her eyes snapped open and her whole form tensed in anticipation as if she was waiting for something to hit her. After a few seconds, she blinked and suddenly realized that she was still holding her breath.

Forcing her body to relax once again, the 1st Lieutenant allowed a deep sigh to escape her lips and she closed her dark rimmed eyes for a second. Her fists unclenched and Riza felt for the first time the smooth fabric of her assigned bed underneath the tips of her tingling fingers.

"Just a dream." She whispered, feeling her heart thrumming a fast rhythm against her rib cage. She took some deep calming breaths and opened her eyes again, staring at the gloomy ceiling above her.

Her ears picked up the noise of the whistling wind whipping against the side of the house. The constant drumming of rain on the roof accompanied the storm's voices and in the distance, Hawkeye could make out some lonely thunders.

Just like the Colonel had predicted it, the thunderheads had headed their way and had reached them by now.

As her gaze drifted to the small window at the far right side, she wondered how long she had been asleep. She guessed, that it must have been afternoon already, so she had slept a good seven hours. Riza had fallen asleep right after the Elric brothers had finished their explanations on their theories regarding the Philosopher's Stone and what her role was as the vessel. But it seemed that even in her sleep she couldn't forget for one second.

But had that been a dream?

It had and still felt too real to pass as a plain nightmare caused by the strain and depletion. She could swear something was still clutching mercilessly at her front, trying to pull her back into the darkness.

With a shake of her head, Riza turned to her side, a shy smile forming on her cracked lips when she found her small companion lying peacefully on the cushion beside her chest. Slowly, she lifted a hand and caressed the furry bundle lovingly.

In return, Black Hayate moved around so that its belly was partly exposed, demanding some more attention from his master. Hawkeye obliged dutifully.

As she allowed her gaze to wander across the small room, she wasn't really surprised when they settled on the motionless form of her former superior.

Roy was sitting on the hard floor, his back leaning against the foot of Riza's bed. His head had fallen backwards and was lying on the soft mattress, black hair lying everywhere. His dark, charcoal eyes were closed and as Riza strained her ears, she could make out the hypnotic sound of his soft breathing.

Right in front of him, Edward Elric was sprawled out in a very uncomfortable position and Riza wondered how he had actually fallen asleep at all in such a crumpled heap. He would surely feel sore when he woke up again.

To her surprise, Al was nowhere to be seen and the only other presence she could detect, was Jean Havoc lying motionless on the bed she was currently facing away from. His deeper breathing bordered almost on the definition of snoring, but she was used to that noise. Riza had been stationed in a tent full of men often enough in her life already and had been forced to endure worse.

Again her orbs sought out the face of Roy Mustang.

The troubled look he had worn last night was gone, just like the furrowed brows and wrinkled lines on his normally smooth forehead. Only from time to time did he flinch slightly, one corner of his mouth pulling up before he relaxed again.

She knew for a fact, that Mustang got plagued by nightmares.

Every night. About the things he had done and about what would come. He never actually talked about his fears or any other feeling for that matter, but the young woman had known him long enough to be able to read him like a book.

Sadness washed over her, when she thought that this man deserved better. Riza had contemplated the meaning of life so many times that she had at one point felt distaste the sheer mention of the word and had come to the conclusion, that there was too much darkness in the minds and hearts of the people she tried to protect.

'Life is a bitch.' The Colonel had once told her shortly after she had been assigned the post as his personal aide. 'Whenever you slack of, it turnes around and bites you.'

Before Riza had realized it, she had already sat up in her bed.

Her eyes wandered over Roy's features and slowly, her hand extended towards his head.

Would she lose him?

The Homunclui were not merely after her life. They wanted them all. Edward, Alphonse, the Colonel.

They were sacrifices for them and right now, they were all waiting in a cell for the next bomb to explode. Like cattle waiting to get slaughtered. And if they were the cattle and the Homunculi were the butcher, then she was the knife that would take their lives.

Would she be his death in the end?

If she had understood the explanations of the two young brothers, then the Stone could only be created with the souls of living humans. And without her as the vessel to produce the Stone -though nobody could tell how that was actually supposed to work- would she be the one ripping their souls out of their bodies?

The tip of her index finger touched the first strand of black hair that was littered over the surface of the mattress.

Slowly, Riza allowed her hand to inch closer to his cheek, but stopped her journey when she felt a cold tear dripping down the tip of her nose.

It had always been like this.

He was so near that she could feel the warmth of his skin, but at the same time, he was so far away. An unattainable being, a taboo to her desperate mind.

Roy's head moved slightly to the side and his cheek bumped against the extended finger of her hand. A jolt of electricity shot through her limb at the simple contact and Riza nearly pulled back her hand in fear the spark would spring over onto his skin and wake him up.

Holding her breath, Riza waited, her obsidian eyes watching the man sleeping right in front of her. After some long seconds he still hadn't shown any signs of waking up and ever so slowly, her finger moved across his cheek with a feather like touch. She could feel the first stubs of a beard tickling the tip of her finger and her eyes softened when Roy leaned into the soft caress.

"Col- ", biting her lip, Riza hesitated.

Was there a way to escape their fates? She didn't want to get used to give birth to the one thing that would bring death and destruction upon mankind and she didn't want to be the thing that took the lives of them. The sacrifices.

Why did the Homunculi need them anyway? When Edward Elric had been right, then there was only one entry fee needed and if she was the one going to open the doors, why use the souls of them as well? Riza just couldn't understand the reasons behind their plan, unable to comprehend the crucial point that connected all their lives.

She didn't want to die that way.

Riza had always imagined her death would be a honorable one. That she'd die defending his back and his dreams to change the country to the better. That she could finally go without regret and that she had somehow done penance for all the corpses she had been forced to shoulder throughout her life.

To finally leave behind the river of blood.

"Roy...," she began once again, her hand pulling a loose strand of raven hair out of his face. His brows furrowed into a slight frown that disappeared again when Riza allowed her finger to smooth it away with her gentle touch.

Would she be allowed to feel happiness in the end?

"Roy... I lo-"

The sentence hung unfinished in the air, when Riza suddenly heard a strange noise coming from outside the small window.

Hastily, she retracted her hand and turned her full attention to it. The wind was still whistling around the house and a constant thrumming of rain against the glass accompanied the creaking of old wooden panels.

But there was something else.

Hawkeye's brows knitted together in bewilderment, when she realized that it had been the whining of a horse that had sounded misplaced in the stormy afternoon air. But as soon as it had started, as soon had it died away, the clattering of sliding stones outside once again dominating.

But like on that fatal day when she had first been attacked by the Homunculi in the Führer's office, the alarm bells in Riza's mind just wouldn't quiet down. Her instincts were on full alert and again, she knew she could trust her sixth sense, that their lives were threatened.

Silently, the 1st Lieutenant moved down the bed, crouching low on the floor right beside the sleeping Colonel. Her eyes never averted from the window, even as she extended her hand and placed it carefully on her CO's shoulder. Softly, she started shaking his form.

"Wh-what the he-" Mustang began, eyes snapping open. He tried to sit up straight, but an insisting hand on his chest pushed him back against the bed frame behind him.

His sleepy eyes sought out the person kneeling beside him and with a startled frown, he eyed Riza Hawkeye. Her gaze appeared to be transfixed at the wall behind them, but the index finger of her free hand was pressed against her sealed lips.

Ever so slowly, he turned his head around towards the window, his eyes needing a few seconds to get accustomed to the gloomy darkness outside. He could barely see anything through the haze of the rain, but after a moment, Roy could make out a shadow looming motionlessly at the left lower corner of the glass.

"Someone's outside." He heard the young woman whisper directly beside him, her breath tickling his neck. "It sounded like they've let the horse loose."

His eyes narrowed as Roy felt the rage slowly boiling inside of him.

So they had already come after them. He didn't even have enough time to think about their next moves and now he was a sitting duck, not only the key to the Stone in his possession, but also three human sacrifices gathered around a few 'unnecessary', disposable soldiers.

Roy despised playing the pawn in those creature's game.

"Two Homunculi, I guess." Frowning, Mustang watched as Edward Elric stared calmly at the ceiling, his arms crossed behind his head where he was still lying on the cold floor. His red coat lay draped over his body, providing some warmth against the chilly air. He pulled out his metal arm from under his head and rested it across his stomach, pointing a grayish finger at the wall behind him.

"They're walking around the house right now." Ed continued in a neutral kind of voice, trying to raise no suspicions among the enemy that was probably watching their every move.

"Dammit." Riza heard the Colonel mumble, her eyes never losing sight of the motionless figure standing outside the window. The two had probably split up, one of them having been dispatched to lure them to the conclusion that only one foe was outside. Seemed like they hadn't counted in the good ears of the Lieutenant and Ed.

"I'll try and warn the others." Roy began. He slowly pushed his body up from the wooden floor, using the bed behind him as leverage. When he stood straight, he lifted his arms, acting like he was stretching his shoulder muscles after a long sleep.

To Riza's amusement, she distinctly heard the sound of bones plopping back into their joints, but she kept her face devoid of any emotions even as she found the Colonel roll his eyes at his own body's betrayal.

As casually as he could, Roy headed to the slightly ajar doors leading to the living room, his ears already hearing the constant chatter the radio was spitting out. They had been listening in on the military lines 24 hours, but it had seemed like nobody had been looking for them to begin with.

The only news that constantly rolled through the lines and that was the main theme among the short encrypted conversations was a violent riot at the border to Drachma in Fort Briggs. The Generals in Central had already dispatched almost 300 soldiers to help the units that were already stationed there.

Edward had been suspicious from the moment he had heard about it, having claimed that he doubted anyone would dare and challenge the Major General and her violent attitudes if they still had some sane brain cells left. And to top it all, there hadn't been any signs of a riot two days ago, when Ed and Al had still been there.

Their explanation: A grande set up.

They were all aware of the fact, that the complete higher brass was on the side of the Homunculi and that Central HQ was playing a major part in the many wars and battles that had been fought in the last decades.

But the reason for all the blood-shedding had yet to be uncovered by the small group.

His jaw muscles tightened when Mustang made his way to the door, the old wooden panels creaking their protest under his boots. Roy's hand extended to the door knob, but his fingers never got the chance to close around the iron object.

Light from the living room invaded the room suddenly, when the door got yanked open from a person standing right behind it. The Colonel lifted his arm in front of his face to shield his oversensitive eyes from the sudden attack.

"What the hell?" He asked, his dark eyes staring baffled at two black silhouettes.

Roy couldn't see their faces clearly at first with the light shining right behind their heads and bathing their features in shadows. He could merely make out their heights and noticed that he could only identify one of the two men straight away.

Fuery stood motionlessly in the middle of the doorway, his headset hanging loosely around his neck. His chest was heaving heavily and his hands were clenched into tight fists by his side.

The man standing beside the Master Sergeant was much taller, a bit higher than Mustang. His oily, black hair was combed back into a ponytail and Mustang could see a broad grin covering his white features. His long arm was draped across Fuery's shoulder loosely, looking almost companionably.

"Colonel Roy Mustang." The man suddenly said and Roy frowned at the familiarity of the voice. "Long time no see... how was life after Ishval?"

Mustang's eyes widened in realization and he felt his heartbeat quicken just the slightest bit. He was suddenly feeling very naked in front of the nameless stranger, his bare hands itching for a weapon. His gloves, a gun or even a knife, he didn't care.

It was now, that he noticed with a pang of guilt, that Fuery had been trembling ever since they had appeared in the doorway, Roy having been too surprised to notice at first.

Shaking in fear at the prospect of getting transmuted into a living bomb.

"Oh, and look!" The tall man continued, waving a casual hand 'Hi' at the persons kneeling behind the Colonel. "If it isn't Miss Sniper and the Fullmetal Alchemist!"

Roy's blood ran cold.

"Kimbley."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS?!

This chapter was one big honkin' mountain to climb! I had another version at first, but there were just too many revelations (which I'll just have to put into the sixth part n.n), which would have ruined the plot... I hope you did understand my explanations to some extent... was pretty hard to sort out the giant heap in my brain ;)

If you don't concur with this, then don't. This is just a piece of my mind and isn't supposed to influence your own theories. But you have to admit, that Hawkeye-sensei was probably talking about bigger things than achieving the ability of a normal match, ne?!

I also have to excuse myself for my soon-to-be-absence:

I'll be gone for an internship in the jungle of Ecuador for one and a half months. I won't have any access to computers, let alone my laptop (which will have to stay at home) and therefor won't be able to write anything in that time.

I'm trying to get the next part finished before I go, but I have a lot to do lately because of this internship and still some exams to write and don't find enough time to write properly. I'm trying my best to finish the sixth chapter before leaving, but I can't and won't promise anything here.

I can only hope you understand and can bear with it.

After returning, finishing this story will be one of my utmost priorities (I so fucking love writing this!!! Especially with all of you being so kind and interested!!) but until then: patience!

Thanks a bunch!! Love ya all and now review to give me energy for my trip and the writing afterwards!!! ;)


	6. Chapter 6

Author's rambling:

How long was it? Three months or so?

Well I'm officially back in the pink land of fanfiction and am chasing the yellow and blue plot-bunnies with forks and knives! YAY!!

If anyone is actually interested in the resons why I have graced with such a long absence or how my adventurous trip to Ecuador has been, then go to my profile... am too lazy to write such a loooooooooooooooooong list twice... or thrice, considering I have other stories to submit. -.-''

So thanks again for your loyalty and I really hope you like this chapter!! There are definitely spoilers for Ch.70/71 and just for the records: I just knew who Pride really was!!! pats herself on shoulder

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Kimbley."

Roy's hands clenched into tight fists, his dark eyes narrowing as he watched the tall man opposite him taking an unhurried step towards them, his hostage getting dragged along by the long slender arm still draped across his shoulders.

"I feel honored, Colonel Mustang, that you still remember the name of such an unimportant and disgraceful soldier." Zolf replied languidly, one corner of his mouth pulling up into a sneer as he watched Roy's eyes darting from the trembling Sergeant Major standing sweating to his right and finally for the fraction of a second to a spot to the Colonel's left

"Don't worry." The ex-State Alchemist said in a low, bellicose voice, having noticed that Mustang's concerned gaze had flickered to where his main target was still crouching at the foot of the bed, her gaze watching him unwaveringly as if she was waiting for the right moment to strike. He was a soldier himself -even if he had never been one of those loyal, ass-kissers he had despised in his academy days and had happily used as bombs in the war- and he just knew that even in her current state, that Hawkeye woman couldn't be taken lightly.

With or without weapon.

"I'm not here to kill 'her'. She is way too useful for us and I want to have some fun with her as long as she can still walk." Kimbley could barely suppress a chuckle when he found Roy's eyes darkening with hatred at his words and decided to fuel the fire burning blatantly obvious in the charcoal orbs. "But your concern for your beautiful subordinate is really touching, if not a bit strange, considering you are her CO and sho-"

"I've heard of you." Ed's voice interrupted the other man abruptly.

The tension in the room had been fierce from the moment that man had entered with Kain Fuery by his side, but when he had started threatening the 1st Lieutenant, the blond had felt the air of the small room thicken with tension. As if a single spark could have caused it to combust solely from the Colonel's rapidly increasing rage.

"You were a State Alchemist involved in the Ishval massacre. The Crimson Alchemist." The older Elric continued, cocking his head slightly to the side as he crossed his arms were he was by now sitting on the hard floor. "Shouldn't you be in custody for having committed crimes against humanity and for having killed your own men?"

Grinning ruefully, Kimbley shrugged awkwardly with Kain still shaking in his 'companionable' semi-embrace. "Got detained for having done what I was told to... but lets just say I finally got the chance for some payback." The malice in his voice caused a shiver to run down Riza's spine.

"Keh. And I thought 'I' was a dog of the military." Ed mumbled under his breath, getting up from the floor in one fluid motion. He glared openly at the man, who returned the look with an inquiring frown.

The young man decided not to keep his audience waiting. "They made ya blow up half of Ishval and then locked you away for years. And now you work again for them, thinking they'd give ya what you are seeking? If you ask me, you are the worst imitation of a leashed dog I have seen so far."

For a few seconds, Kimbley's cold gaze stayed on the short alchemist, his arm drawing Fuery closer to his chest. His right hand was itching to transform the poor image of a soldier into a damn bomb, but before he could completely lose his cool, his eyes softened suddenly and he smiled back lopsidedly, a gleam appearing in his eyes.

Withdrawing his other hand from were it had been hidden inside his trouser, he mentioned to where Ed was standing beside Riza, building a protective wall together with the Colonel.

"'s not like you would understand how this actually works, but lemme tell ya, that I already have what I desire. It's just that I have way too much fun making 'things' explode."

The young blond stared at the transmutation circle tattooed onto the palm of Kimbley's left hand, feeling his heartbeat quicken the slightest bit when he realized that he was again facing insane forces he was not sure he would be able to stand up against.

Roy felt absolutely defenseless as he stood motionlessly in front of the woman he had vowed to protect. But without anything even resembling a weapon or a plan, he was doomed to wait until Kimbley made a mistake. His gaze shifted again to the badly trembling Sergeant Major, sweat trickling down his forehead and chin as he waited for his captor to finally decide when to kill him.

Because they all knew that it wasn't a question whether Kimbley would actually transmute Fuery, but merely a matter of time.

A slight creaking in the room beyond caught everybody's attention and despite his inability to see anything with his back turned towards the door, a small smile appeared on Zolf's thin lips.

"Seems like my clients wanna finally join in... bad thing for you though, 'cause time is up."

Kain felt the arm lying across his shoulders move as Kimbley lifted his hand and wrapped his long fingers around the upper arm of his hostage. The sizzle of alchemic energy could be heard as he prepared the transmutation, the excitement inside Zolf almost bubbling over at the prospect of finally transforming a human into a bomb and getting to hear that heavenly noise...

BOOM

Kimbley's grip around Fuery's arm slackened suddenly and the former State Alchemist fell to the floor in a boneless heap. The last thing he uttered, before silence descended upon the baffled room, was a surprised "Wha-" as he exhaled sharply in a pained hiss.

"Right timing, Al." Ed muttered, lifting his metal hand up in greeting as his younger brother entered. "Ya should've hit him harder though... he'd deserve some bone-cracking..." He muttered the last part, scratching the back of his had thoughtfully as he eyed the unconscious man lying on his side on the wooden ground.

"Seems like they didn't know that there were more people on the upper floor." Breda said as he stepped around the towering form of Alphonse Elric, making a face when he found the traitor Kimbley. A dark hematoma at the back of his neck was already visible, where Al had knocked him out with the side of his metal hand.

The round Lieutenant looked up when he heard his superior turn around to where Hawkeye was kneeling. She was just in the process of pushing herself up into a standing position, gritting her teeth against the imminent pain in her side. It shot through her abdomen and her legs threatened to give away, when Roy's hands closed carefully around her upper arms, pulling her slowly upwards until she stood on bare feet.

Breda in the meantime had decided to lend an equally shaking man a hand.

Kain had sunken down against Al's leg and stared at the unmoving body of his former captor. His face was ashen and cold sweat was still gathering on his brows and upper lip as he wrung his clammy hands in an effort to calm himself down.

"Are you alright, Fuery?"

Blinking a few times, totally oblivious to Breda's efforts to get him up from the floor, the young soldier looked back at the raven haired Colonel. "Y-yes, S-sir." He stuttered his answer, finally registering that he was standing again. He gave his comrade a grateful nod, not trusting his voice to stay unwaveringly.

Roy -having made sure that the young man wouldn't collapse again- averted his attention back to the only woman among the occupants of the small bedroom, finding her face pale. Riza looked almost as shaken as Kain, her eyes barely able to conceal the concern and fear she felt for her friends.

The guilt of having dragged innocent friends into the mess.

'God', she thought and another shudder ragged her body before she could prevent it, 'don't let anybody get killed.'

A slight frown appeared on Roy's features when he noticed that Riza was evading his gaze and was looking instead at the space where their feet were almost touching. He hadn't even realized that they were standing so close together.

Before he could say anything though, Edward beat him to it. "We're stuck here. That Kimbley said something 'bout his 'clients', which means we're surrounded by at least two other enemies."

The Colonel nodded, having already accessed the little information given unintentionally by the other man and had come to the same conclusion.

With the shadows of the night bathing the surrounding mountain side in utter darkness, there was no chance to see anybody through the three small windows they had access to, including the one upstairs. Their predicament was made even worse by the still raging storm. A concert of hammering rain and icy hail got accompanied by the loud rumbling of the angry black clouds making their way across the night sky.

The enemy was invisible and had the advantage right now.

Riza's eyes wandered from her bare feet to Roy's boots and up his long slender legs until they came to rest on one button of his dirty white shirt. She was very aware of the warm hand wrapped protectively around her uninjured upper arm, which he seemed to refuse to let go.

Again the crash of a thunder echoed through the silent night, closely followed by a bright flash.

A deep frown hovered on Roy's forehead as he stared thoughtfully at the door, considering their few options carefully.

They had to keep Riza safe under all costs, the secret how to create the Philosopher's Stone with the transmutation circle on 'her' back at stake here. They couldn't afford to allow those bastards to use the unimaginable powers of the Stone to realize their plans.

Roy couldn't allow them to use his Lieutenant and kill her like a overused lab rat.

"S-sir?"

Startled, Mustang looked up at hearing the faint, still trembling voice of Kain and found the pale man standing on wobbly legs between Breda and Armstrong, who had appeared noiselessly seemingly out of the nowhere. He returned Roy's gaze with a stern nod of his broad chin and allowed his eyes to settle for a few seconds on the 1st Lieutenant struggling to maintain the crumbling facade of a woman in control of her inner turmoil.

"There's a coal shaft downstairs in the basement." Mustang began in a low voice, his eyes still staring into nothingness. "It leads outside to a small shack at the back of the house."

Armstrong inclined his head slightly, saying nothing as he walked up to where Havoc was still lying unconsciously on the second bed. Effortlessly, the tall man picked up the former 2nd Lieutenant, mindful of the grave injury at Jean's right shoulder he had acquired during their last headless flight some two days ago.

The exhaustion was clearly visible in the faces of the men and woman gathered in the small room and Roy flexed his shoulder muscles experimentally. He had to close his charcoal orbs for a moment when a jolt of pain shot through his back only at the prospect of getting used soon.

"Colonel-" Riza began, having obviously been able to uncover what Mustang was planning, but was interrupted mid-sentence when his hand increased the pressure on her arm the slightest bit.

His free hand vanished in his trouser pocket, returning with a newly dried ignition glove. Riza bit the inside of her cheek when her eyes settled for a brief moment on the all too familiar sigil. She understood immediately what the Colonel wanted to do.

He was going to execute a suicide mission.

"Protect that damn transmutation circle. Don't let them lay a single finger on Hawkeye's back." With that his warm fingers suddenly disappeared from where they had been holding onto her bare skin for minutes, leaving behind the feeling of coldness and loss.

"Yes, Sir!" Came the curt bark of replies from Breda and Fuery, both advancing towards the couple. They were intending to escort the 1st Lieutenant to where Armstrong had already disappeared to with Havoc bundled securely in his muscular hold.

Riza stared at Mustang for the longest second, giving him a look of incredulity as she repeated mentally what he had just ordered his men to do. The sheer act of Mustang telling his subordinates to -if necessary- sacrifice themselves in order to protect her with their very lives, was enough to leave not a trace of doubt in her mind that Roy had run out of options. He was grasping for the last straw presenting itself to his slowly increasing desperation.

With their heads submerged almost completely, he was clutching at anything to keep them afloat.

It was insane.

How could 'he' allow anybody to possibly throw away his life?

She couldn't.

Her breathing picked up the slightest bit, when her eyes followed the Colonel's distant orbs as he turned slowly around to face the Elric brothers standing beside the still unconscious Kimbley.

Ed was wearing a grim expression and was trying his hardest not to look at her, his hands balling into tight fists when he found her gaze grazing him for only the shortest moment. He was avoiding her eyes because he was already considering their next moves. He had made up his mind to fight the bastards that were responsible for Winry's momentary situation with everything he had.

Hawkeye's tired orbs flickered back and forth between her former superior and the young Alchemist, disbelief written across her features.

"Fullmetal, Al... I want you to-"

How could he possibly ask these kids to do such a horrible thing?

"No." Roy's head jerked around abruptly when his ears caught the faint sound of his 1st Lieutenant mumbling the word at his back.

"No." She whispered again more vehemently.

"Hawkeye, there really isn't any time to discuss this-" "If you want to order your men to sacrifice themselves, do it. But you can't force me to accept my friends' lives!" Her voice had risen at the end of the sentence and despite her efforts, she felt her face flush with suppressed anger and... fear.

Fear of the reasons that had made Roy Mustang, the one man she had promised to protect and follow till the very end, lose sight of the things that were most important to him.

Suddenly the noise of metal rattling against metal erupted right outside the window, breaking through the monotone voices of the thunderstorm and caught everybody's attention instantly. The hollow clanking didn't cease, instead it steadily increased in volume until it sounded almost like a small army of armors was heading straight towards the building.

Which it probably was, Ed mused silently, as he took an involuntary step back from the wall.

Roy and Riza were staring at each other, seemingly oblivious to the looming threat, their chests heaving heavily as they both fought to win their silent disputation.

After what felt like minutes, Roy looked away, his jaw muscles tightening in suppressed anger.

Why didn't she understand that there just wasn't any other way to keep her safe? He 'had' to protect her and knew that his men would do the same thing without a second thought, even if that meant losing their lives. The Colonel and his former subordinates shared deep trust and respect for each other, a mutual feeling, that wasn't usual among military personal.

And because of this trust and respect, Roy hated himself for even considering such a course of action.

"Breda." He finally said in a weary, defeated voice, turning away from Riza to stare at the Elric brothers again. "Get out of here. Use force if necessary."

Riza's eyes widened in shock and she swiveled around right when Breda stepped up behind her and slung his arms around her midsection. He lifted her up into the air and hefted her across his left shoulder in one fluid motion. He tried to ignore her surprised gasp and the sharp intake of air when her side seemed to explode in searing pain.

"Sir!" She said, pushing herself up so that she could face the raven haired man.

He didn't seem to hear her as he started talking with Edward in hushed voices, the blond suddenly nodding slowly and giving his brother's armored body a short slap on his arm. Alphonse straightened at that and turned away from the two without another word, walking straight to where Breda was just in the process of rounding the corner with Hawkeye lying on his shoulder.

"Breda, let go." She demanded with what almost sounded like a plea, her hands digging into the sturdy man's jacket. She even felt too exhausted to struggle against the firm, but gentle hold her colleague had on her thighs to keep her steady.

Her already bloodshot eyes started to burn from the sudden feeling of helplessness and despair as she watched Roy's form disappear behind the door frame.

"Please." She whispered and felt the Lieutenant's hands tighten their hold the slightest bit at hearing her desperate voice.

The last strands of dark black hair vanished out of her sight and Riza swallowed a lump that had risen in her dry throat.

The last thing she saw before the 2nd Lieutenant started walking down the stairs to the small basement, was the white glove lurking out between the fingers of a tightly closed fist.

Hawkeye suddenly had the need to recall his image, trying to remember every detail as if she would never see him again.

"Roy!" The sound of clattering metal stopped right then and the echo of her voice resounded in the small living room until it ebbed away with the noises of the radio still spitting out encrypted conversations.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Slowly, his surroundings came back into focus and with bleary eyes, Kimbley tried to distinguish the different shadows looming around him, one of them moving through his line of view. Right then, something pulled tight around his wrists and he had to suppress a groan at the unexpected pain.

"What the hell..." He mumbled groggily, trying to move his head around in order to find out what was causing the discomfort in his limbs, his fingers gradually going numb as the blood circulation got cut off. A jolt of pain shot through the base of his neck, spreading out through the back of his skull and ended at the crease between his brows. He decided spontaneously to stay motionless for another few seconds and closed his eyes again.

"Awake?" Another not so gentle tug at the ropes tied tightly around Kimbley's wrists made the tall man wince. He couldn't recall the face to the voice at first but then he remembered a cocky grin and a blond haired short Alchemist and with realization came clarity.

"Ts. What a shame. That guy would've been a nice bomb." He retorted with a hint of malice as he carefully turned his head to the right, finding an unnerved Edward Elric kneeling behind him. His fingers were itching to make that fucking brat explode and when he felt a second presence nearby, his hatred intensified tenfold.

"How many Homunculi are out there?" Roy asked in a low voice, arms crossed in front of his chest, dark eyes glaring openly down at the ex-soldier.

Kimbley's eyes watched his opponent towering threateningly above him, trying to maintain the uncaring facade despite his need to kill him with a nice BOOM...

"You're about to find out."

Zolf had barely uttered the words, when the wall with the window broke apart with the noise of crumbling rocks, grey dust rising from the ruins. A lightning jolted through the thundering night sky, illuminating the cloud hovering above the remains of the side of the house. Within the shadows, a distorted, slim figure appeared, stepping unhurriedly over the debris littering the dusty ground.

"Ya're really useless, almighty Shithead Alchemist." The nameless shape barked out, arms akimbo as he stopped in his tracks right at Havoc's bed.

"Don't make fun of me, Envy." Kimbley spat back, venom coating every word as he pulled hard at the restraints keeping him from releasing the increasing need for blood. He wanted to make them suffer. He had to hear that sound. 'That' sound! "Or you'll regret it."

The man with the bare stomach arched an eyebrow at the obviously dangerous undertone in the normally light voice of the man, who had caused unnecessary commotion. And that even though father had specifically told them not to cause a scenario in which they might get forced to kill one or more targets.

And especially that soldier bitch. No-one was to lie a single finger on her. She was essential for the fast execution of their plans and her death would set them back many decades of careful scheming and bloody wars. But thanks to that good-for-nothing Kimbley, Hawkeye was nowhere to be seen.

And that even though Envy had sworn to tear her apart limb for limb.

But he'd have to stay focused on 'his' orders and not let his real self gain the upper hand.

"Shut the hell up, you asshole!" He yelled back, his bare foot kicking hard against the bed beside him. It crashed into the wall, breaking through the stones and splintering into thousand pieces. "Ya fucked up and now you'll have to see how ya get yourself outta this crap!"

The metal clattering started again then and out of the darkness, five tall armors appeared, the eye sockets in their helmets glowing in an eerie red. They were carrying spears and swords, the blood lust practically palpable as they slowly advanced.

Ed straightened and rolled his shoulders slowly, his left joint cracking faintly. "Long time no see, Envy." He said in a neutral tone of voice, staring the man with the greenish black hair squarely into the bemused eyes as he clapped his hands together. Jolts of energy sizzled around them when the young State Alchemist transmuted his automail arm into a sword-like weapon.

"Wish it had been longer, shrimp Alchemist." Envy replied, cocking his head slightly to the side, long strands of dark hair whipping around with the motion. His narrowed eyes wandered across the small room, looking for the other targets.

But to his increasing annoyance, the armor guy and the bitch were really not there.

Now he could just hope they'd not try and get away through the mountains, because...

"Why don't we spare ourselves the trouble and you come along peacefully and tell me where you've hidden the-"

The floor in front of Envy exploded in a bright wall of flames and he jumped back instinctively, barely dodging a second attack from the raven haired alchemist. With a grunt, the Homunculus crashed into one of the armored soldiers standing around the broken house wall and in a fit of rage, he smashed his fist into the metal mask, extinguishing the soul as the blood seal got damaged fatally.

"Get those bastards!" He bellowed, chest heaving irregularly as he once again advanced towards the two lonely figures.

Edward watched their opponents with eagle eyes, bringing the palms of his hands together even as he calculated the right moment to strike. Energy sizzled from his fingers into the wall, running down to the floor and spreading out across the wooden planks.

Almost instantly, a hand rose from the ground, dashing to where two of the armors were running. It hit them with immense force, the hollow bodies flying through the air and landing in clattering heaps outside. One of them lay motionlessly, the rain having washed away the blood seal that had bound the soul to the metal body. The second one started moving around, the lower part of the armor missing though and making the other half useless.

Roy didn't see any of this. His eyes were focused on one enemy swinging a katana relentlessly down on him. He dodged every attack seemingly effortlessly. In reality, he had real problems concentrating on moving out of the sword's range.

His concentration was deteriorating, exhaustion taking its toll on his fighting ability.

And there was something else.

Mustang had the strong feeling that there was something behind him. Observing him. Following his every move.

His instincts told him to turn around and face the threat, but his eyes couldn't glimpse any sign of the thing that was causing the uneasy tightening of his stomach.

Only darkness.

Again the attacking armor brought the long sword dangerously close to Roy's head and in the last second, he let his body fall to the floor, the weapon slicing through empty air. The Colonel looked up from where he was crouching low on his heels, his fierce eyes meeting the glowing red ones of his opponent even as he brought his hands up right in his line of view.

His middle and index fingers were pressed against his thumb and with a snap, the armor was torn apart from the inside by an explosion. Roy shielded his face against the flying metal parts. One of the sharp missiles imbedded itself deeply in his forearm, cutting through skin and muscle tissue.

Searing pain jolted through his limb, making his hand tingle. Warm blood gushed out of the wound, staining his white glove crimson. He didn't pay attention to any of it, his dark orbs instead going wide as he stared at the dark wall to his left.

Something had moved in the light of the explosion. It had seemed like a tentacle had wandered across the surface, small black fingers reaching for another shadow. 'His' shadow.

Roy jumped back involuntarily. His breath caught in his throat when he found a slitted eye opening within the darkness that painted the wall black, staring right back at him. A shiver went down his spine when it closed again, leaving behind not a single trace of the 'thing'.

But Mustang felt its presence still nearby.

Waiting.

Watching.

They were in far greater danger, than Roy had feared. How could they fight a bodiless shadow? He could feel his heartbeat quicken, his bloodied hand tightening into a fist.

Suddenly, Edward Elric appeared right in front of him, his transmuted automail arm crashing against the blade of one of the armors. He pushed the thing back with a strained grunt, jaws clenched together as he forced his last energy reserves into his muscles.

"Could'cha stop conking in the middle of a fight, stupid Colonel?!" Ed barked a bit hoarsely, making a guttural noise when he kicked the armor into the side with his metal leg. The hollow thing lost its balance, a surprised yelp issuing from somewhere inside the empty body. It fell ungracefully in a disorganized heap right onto Riza's bed, the head and spear clattering to the floor.

Fortunately, the seal had been inside the helmet and the spiritless body lay still on the sheets.

Glancing one last time at the defeated armor, Ed squared his shoulders, arms hanging limply by his side. His breath came out in short gasps as he fought for composure, trying to slow down his relentlessly thrumming heart to the point where he could hear the rain again.

Mustang was standing almost right behind him. His chest was rising in an irregular pattern, but he couldn't bring his nerves to calm down again. His dark orbs tried to focus on everything simultaneously, flickering across his surroundings in a frenzied attempt to 'see'.

"Colonel?"

Startled, Roy looked down at the blond back of Edward's head. His trademark braids lay perfectly in the middle between his shoulders, making Mustang wonder briefly whether the young man had been involved in the fight at all.

Understanding the hidden concern behind the gruff question, Roy averted his gaze. His eyes narrowing at the spot on the wall where he had seen the eye only moments ago.

"There's another Homunculus in here."

A bewildered frown appeared on Ed's face, his hands balling shortly into tight fists, before he forced his muscles to relax again. His golden orbs stared at the unmoving form of Envy, where he was still standing un-fazed on the boulders of the broken wall.

He inclined his head slightly, quirking one eyebrow quizzically. "What's up, shrimp? Ya found something interesting?"

"We defeated your little army of good-for-nothing-armors, so why don't we leave it at that and ya-" "Oh, fuck off, ant!" Envy barked out, throwing his arms up in the air in exaggeration. "Come on! Did ya think we brought them to actually 'capture' you? I wanted to give you some time to rethink your decision, get acquainted with the fact that you'll come with me."

The Homunculus jumped down from the debris and folded his arms across his chest as he stared back at the two humans with a lopsided grin.

"Ya do realize that we have that lil mechanic of yours, ne, shorty?" He asked in a low tone of voice, his lips forming a sneer as he watched Ed's face transform in a mixture of fear and hatred.

Pointing his thumb at the dark hole behind him, Envy made eye contact with the Colonel. "And lets just say, that the bitch you're so fond of, won't be running around for much longer..."

-.-.-.-.-.-

The cool steel handle fit almost perfectly into her small hand, delicate but callused fingers wrapped around the handle of her new gun with a trained grip. Her index finger pressed the trigger to the point where applying only the slightest bit of pressure would result in a well aimed shot.

Rivulets of cold water cascaded down her gun arm, dripping down her fingers and the barrel. The thin material of her white blouse clung to her shivering body, almost transparent from the constant downpour of hard rain.

Another lightning lashed down at the mountains, followed closely by the crashing noise of a thunder.

In the fraction of a second in which the sky got lit by the electric jolt, Riza could see the silhouettes of three men walking right in front of her.

Hawkeye was breathing heavily, her chest straining to catch up with her body's demand for more oxygen. But it seemed like her lungs just couldn't work any harder. Every time she exhaled, pain exploded in her side, stabbing into her right lung like a knife.

She tried to ignore it, instead concentrating on keeping up with the tempo of her fellow colleagues.

Breda had been forced to release Riza from his secure grip, when they had had to climb through the coal shaft one after the other. Outside again, she had been more than reluctant to comply to his plea to allow him to carry her again, so he had grunted his disapproval and had slung her good arm across his shoulder He was supporting her weight with his body as best as he could, despite the fast pace.

They were rushing through the rocky landscape, their eyes fixed on the ground, evading brush and debris.

The rain hadn't stopped and was beating down on them relentlessly, making a hollow sound as the small droplets hit the metal armor of Alphonse.

Al and Falman were walking behind Riza and Breda, bringing up the rear, while Fuery and Armstrong were leading the way. So far, they had been able to leave behind the small house, having not seen any pursuer so far.

But they had heard noises.

The noises of a fierce battle.

The sound of a crumbling wall.

Explosions.

Biting the inside of her cheek, the 1st Lieutenant had to fight the urge to stop dead right there and run back. She would beat some sense into the Colonel for pulling such a stunt on her. What the heck was he thinking anyway!? Playing knight in shining armor, just to get her to escape?

Did he actually realize that the Homunculi were after him as well?

Another jolt of pain burned its way through her torso, making her gasp aloud in agony. Her throat constricted and a violent cough ragged her body.

The hand on her waist squeezed her side tenderly and she felt Breda pull her up until she was standing straight again, her lungs finally getting ventilated.

Something hard hit her back then and with some curses running through her mind, Riza realized that it had started again to hail.

What else? All she needed now was an earthquake!

Suddenly, Breda came to an abrupt halt, straining the bullet wound in Riza's abdomen in the process. She winced slightly, squeezing her eyes closed for a moment as white dots started to dance across her vision.

When she opened her watery orbs again, she found Armstrong's left arm pulled up, his hand balled into a fist as he signaled his comrades to stay put. His small eyes flickered across his surroundings, but he couldn't make out anything out of the ordinary.

The only thing that seemed out of place, was that strange noise.

With a frown, Riza thought that it sounded almost like a dog crunching on bones.

When the attack came, Hawkeye had merely time to extend her hand that wasn't holding the gun to absorb some of the fall.

Breda apparently didn't have as much luck. A pained yelp erupted from his mouth as he got hit hard by something big in the back of his knees, bringing him down to the wet ground.

Blinking away the water, Riza's gaze wandered to where the 2nd Lieutenant was lying on his belly, holding his head. She could make out something dark spilling through the gaps between his fingers. Apparently, he had hit his head on the rocks, the laceration bleeding profoundly now.

"Lieutenant!" Al yelled, his hurried steps coming nearer.

When Hawkeye looked up at the metal body of the younger Elric, her eyes went wide when she found the round, plump form of their attacker standing only two meters behind them.

Slowly, the figure stepped closer, the sound of breaking bones increasing in volume. Another lightning illuminated the nightly world around Hawkeye and it was enough to recognize the source of the noise.

Gluttony was eating the last remains of the horse, empty black eyes staring back at Riza from the last remaining half of the once massive head. Riza's body tensed as she tried to scramble hastily to her feet, shaky legs barely able to keep her upright.

"Dammit." Breda swore under his breath as he turned around. His palm was still pressed against the wound, trying to stem the steady flow of blood as best as he could. His boot bumped against the thing that had brought him down and with a disgusted grunt, he found a torn leg of a horse lying in a puddle of water and blood.

Beside him, he heard Black Hayate growl dangerously at their attacker, the fur at his neck standing up.

"Can I eat them all?" Gluttony asked no-one in particular, his childish voice getting swallowed by the loud crash of a thunder. He moved his plump form closer to where Al was standing protectively in front of both Riza and Breda, his metal shoulders squared as he prepared himself for the upcoming confrontation.

"No."

Startled, the heads of the soldiers jerked around to where the voice had suddenly come from. Instinctively, Riza brought her gun up and aimed at the darkness behind a large rock. She felt dizzy. Her head was throbbing painfully from the exhaustion and the sound of her thrumming heart pounded relentlessly through her temples.

"Sh-show yourself!" Fuery yelled at the hidden enemy in a moment of courage.

His request got answered with a short snicker and then someone stepped out from behind the boulder. The grip around the hilt of her weapon tightened, when Riza's eyes fell on a young kid grinning eerily up at them.

"Master Salem Bradley..." Armstrong uttered the words reverentially, the shock clearly visible on his face.

Her breath came out in short gasps as the 1st Lieutenant felt like she was suffocating. As if a heavy weight was sitting on her chest, squeezing the air out of her lungs. The pressure of the atmosphere itself seemed to change with every second that her amber eyes stayed on the small form of the boy, beads of cold sweat gathering on her forehead.

"Humans are such ignorant beings." The boy spat out with a disgusted face, hollow eyes travelling from Falman and Armstrong to Fuery and Breda and finally came to rest on the only woman. "For as long as you are still able to breathe, you may call me 'Pride'."

The Homunculus moved forward slowly and it was then, that Riza saw it.

A tiny black hand emerging out of a tentacle-like shadow, reaching seemingly out towards her. The gun in her hand started to tremble slightly. Clenching her jaws, Riza tried to will her nerves to calm down, but her body betrayed her yet again in the face of her enemy.

"Do not worry, 1st Lieutenant. The time of your death has yet to be decided." A sneer appeared on the thin lips of the Führer's 'son' and the thing lifted a short arm and pointed his index finger at the group of men gathered around Riza.

"Eat them all, Gluttony, except for the woman and the armor."

Breda's head swiveled around to the round Homunculus, just in time to see the snout of the horse disappear behind the white row of teeth of the one called Gluttony. A broad grin spread out on his smooth face and with a malicious laugh that sounded almost inhuman, the thing opened its maw.

Gulping down the lump in his constricting throat, Falman watched as another lightning gave him a glimpse of a meaty tongue, the oroborus tattoo clearly visible for the fraction of a second.

Without missing a beat, Gluttony dashed to the human -he was allowed to eat- being closest to him.

Breda scrambled to his feet, fumbling blindly for the semiautomatic at his side, eyes going wide in shock and fear when he stared right into the dark pharynx of the 'thing'.

"Lieutenant!" Al cried out, bringing his hands together reflexively and hitting the ground in front of his metal feet with a clank. Instantly, a wall of solid rock shot out between rocks and brownish grass, small rivulets of rain water washing down the uneven surface as it grew higher.

Gluttony, having not anticipated the human sacrifice to fight for this man, crashed into the unnatural rock formation, almost breaking through with the impact of his massive body. He frowned in bewilderment, scratching his chin thoughtfully, before he opened his mouth again.

"I can't keep him in check forever! Please hurry and run away!" Alphonse told the men and woman behind him, his voice wavering with a slight edge of panic.

Falman and Breda, both having a hard time concealing the shock and fear on their faces, nodded hastily and advanced to where Riza was standing, staring incredulously at the younger Elric. When Vard was about to take hold of her uninjured upper arm, she pushed him away and took three strides until she was right beside Al.

Rage shining in her eyes, she hit the metal body with her gun as hard as she could.

"You are a kid! How could I possibly leave you behind to save my own hide?!" She demanded to know, feeling suddenly very tired. Tired of her helplessness. Tired of seeing people stay behind to protect her.

"They want you as much as they want me!" Riza reasoned, her foot kicking Al's shin angrily. Suddenly, in the corner of her eye, the small black orbs of Gluttony appeared in a sizzling hole in the wall. Without wasting a second thought, she brought her gun arm up and shot the Homunculus right between his eyes and mouth, almost emptying a complete round.

"How could I look your brother in the eyes again." She whispered hoarsely, feeling the last brick of her emotional barrier crumble then.

Al stared down into her fierce, reddish eyes and realized suddenly that she was right. "Now I'm the idiot." He mumbled with a pang of guilt, inclining his head in shame.

Riza's hand closed around Alphonse's broad arm and tugged him away from the wall he had created moments ago. Together they ran to where the other men were still standing, Armstrong merely nodding when Hawkeye signalled for them to fall back.

"Do you really believe, I would allow you to escape?"

The voice had come from Salem Bradley, still standing somewhere behind Gluttony and almost instantly, Riza stopped dead in her tracks, crimson orbs staring fearfully at a group of rocks in front of the fleeing group.

Dozens of eyes had opened on the irregular surface, staring at them with malice. The whiteness stood at stark contrast to the black bodiless shape that seemed to crawl across the boulders, tentacles growing out of the darkness and heading for the bodies of the six comrades.

Riza took a shaking step backwards, bumping into the large body of Alphonse Elric. "What should we do?" Kain cried, trembling uncontrollably. He could barely hold his gun anymore as he pointed it at the thing slowly advancing towards his boots. "We can't fight darkness!"

"No, you can't." Came the simple reply from the Homunculus.

The attacks came from all side.

Gluttony crashed into Major Armstrong's back, bringing him down to the ground. Havoc fell from his grasp, rolling down the slope until he got stopped painfully by a large rock. His unconscious form lay deathly still on his back, chest rising irregularly with the fever he had developed during the night.

Hawkeye called out to Alex Louis, where he was fighting with all he had against the plump Homunculus, but her voice got swallowed by the startled yelps of both Falman and Fuery.

They were sprawled out on the floor, clutching at their throats and gasping for air. Black shapes had wound their way across their bodies, having wrapped their hand-like ends around the necks of their victims, strangling them to death. And they could do nothing to fight against the impending suffocation.

"1st Lieutenant! Run, dammit!"

Riza's amber eyes shot to where Breda was holding vehemently onto a boulder, working against the tentacles clawing at his legs and belly, dark liquid seeping out of numerous flesh wounds. The shadow was trying to tear apart his limbs while he was still alive.

She used two of the last three remaining bullets to shoot the blackness that was trying to kill her friends right in front of her eyes. Watching as even Al's attempts to rid them of the two dimensional threat with alchemy had no effect at all, the sound of a huge, not-so distant explosion reached her ears.

The noises echoed through her mind, slowly mingling with the wild thrumming of her heart, neutralizing each other, until the only sound that seemed to exist was the searing nothingness.

They would die.

In the name of the Philosopher's Stone.

The small gun weighted heavily in her trembling, sweaty hand, every gram pulling her down towards the rocky ground as if gravity itself was increasing with every second. Her finger released the safety catch of the weapon, while she was staring into the night with unseeing eyes. Her arm lifted as she pointed the barrel at her new target.

"Stop, or I'll pull the trigger."

The commotions around her came to an absolute standstill. The blurred eyes of her friends focused on her, the light inside slowly diminishing. Fuery had already lost consciousness, but was still breathing faintly.

"Let go of them!" Riza barked out in a commanding tone, her voice louder this time.

Gluttony searched his surroundings for the Homunculus superior to him, finding Pride standing motionlessly beside the crumpled wall Al had transmuted moments ago. He was staring furiously at the weapon in Riza's hand, the barrel pressed against the smooth skin of her temple, index finger applying the slightest bit of pressure.

It was a strange feeling, the female Lieutenant thought with a gulp, feeling her breathing quicken when the image of a bullet piercing her skull and smashing her brains played through her mind.

"You wouldn't-" Pride began, small hands trembling in barely concealed anger. "I 'will'." Hawkeye interrupted the thing mid-sentence, venom dripping from every syllable as she punctuated the last word by straightening her arm visibly.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw Gluttony standing up from where he had been sitting on Armstrong's back. He let go of the arm that was pulled back at an unnatural angle. The Major was moaning in pain, both his shoulders dislocated.

At the same time, gasps erupted from Fuery's and Falman's throats, the black arms slowly retreating reluctantly. They recoiled back inside the grande shape sheathing the rocks in darkness. It was still ready to attack, looking like a serpent about to strike.

"Tell the other Homunculi to leave the Colonel and the Fullmetal Alchemist alone!" Riza demanded, sweat gathering on her forehead as she watched the boy in front of her clench his jaw muscles. 'Salem Bradley' nodded his small head curtly.

Tense silence ascended upon the gathered enemies, soldiers and Homunculi watching each other closely. Riza felt her pulse quicken again when she heard a lonely explosion coming from where the house was located somewhere behind the hill.

Eyes flickering to her comrades, she inhaled once deeply, trying to calm down her raw nerves to the point where she could speak in a steady voice again.

"Can you stand?"

Bewildered, Breda and Falman both stared at their former superior, both having not dared to move yet from the spot where Pride had let go of them. They were exhausted, their breathing strained and numerous wounds bleeding profoundly.

"We can." Came the solemn, though slightly slurred voice of Major Louis Armstrong. He was in the process of getting up from the wet ground, one of his injured arms still hanging limply by his side in a strange way. The cold rain had matted his golden curl against his otherwise bald head and mud dripped down his chin and nose.

Riza cringed inwardly.

He looked almost as tired as that time after Ishval.

"Please get away from here." Riza uttered the words barely above a whisper, hoping that for once, the men would obey her wish and suppress the urge to risk their lives for her.

Not daring to take off her eyes of the two unmoving Homunculi for another second, Hawkeyes focused again on the two figures, her obsidian orbs flickering from time to time to the thick darkness coating the surrounding landscape eerily. Mere seconds later, her ears caught the noise of grunting men, heaving the limp bodies of their two unconscious comrades up from the cold, wet ground.

"But I wanted to eat them." Gluttony whined loudly, suckling absentmindedly at his index finger as he watched three men limping away into the distance, their heavy burdens slung across bleeding shoulders.

"Alphonse, you were supposed to go with them."

The until then motionless armor shifted slightly behind her and Riza swallowed the anger hastily. This wasn't the place and time for kids to play adult! Even if they were capable worriers and gifted Alchemists!

"How could I look my brother in the eyes again." Came the reply and Riza's hand tightened around the hilt of her deadly weapon in response. Why was everybody using her own reasoning against her?

It was then, that Pride's real body moved out from behind the crumbled wall and into the open. "Keh." He spat in his strangely distorted voice of a child. A sneer spread out on his lips at the sight of the 1st Lieutenant's eyes hardening in alarm.

"Heroism is the undoing of mankind."

"Hawkeye!" Her eyes shot around, seeking out the owner of the voice.

He was running towards them, a smaller figure rushing after him, long, torn coat flapping around his legs in the strong wind.

"No." Riza whispered, her eyes darting instantly back to where Gluttony and Pride were still standing, the sneer on their lips forcing a shiver to race down her spine in anticipation.

Even before she could formulate the plan in her mind to pull the trigger, a cold something wrapped around her wrist and ankles.

The gun slipped from her grasp as her bones snapped with a sickening crack and she fell to her knees, her mouth opening in a silent cry of pain.

The energy-like pressure from earlier engulfed her again, pressing down on her chest like a boulder.

Her vision began to blur and Al's voice faded away in the increasing distance between consciousness and the darkening abyss of her mind.

The last thing she saw before the shadows engulfed her completely, was the Colonel's pained face as Envy stabbed him from behind.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

End?!?

Yosh!! I finally (and I apologize once again for the very, VERY long wait) finished part 6!! throws confetti

I'm not entirely sure whether it turned out as good as I hope it did, so please drop me a line or two to tell me.

I have currently three different endings spinning their plot-nets through my cobwebbed mind. So I guess, I'll tell you, my faithful readers, of the options and would like to know which of the following three possibilities I should realize in your opinion:

1.: happy ending (probably one more chapter)

2.: semi-happy ending (one or two more chapters)

3.: the, well... not-so-healthy-for-some-charas-ending (probably two more chapters)

Up to you, pals! Go and force some sense into me... maybe you'll be able to stir me into a specific direction.

I hope to be able to write the next chapter faster this time! I'm trying my best, but am failing quite miserably... T.T


	7. Chapter 7

Author's rambling:

Yeah! I was actually really fast, ne? Ne??!

This chapter is pretty fight-less... more or less anyway. I really do hope you like it despite this manko, but it wouldn't have worked any other way!

I have to send a huge thanks to all the wonderful reviewers and readers out there for being so unbelievably kind and encouraging! So many reviews! I'm in a feedback-induced semi-coma, where all I seem to be able to do is slobber and grin like the cat that got the cream. I thank you a thousand times and give you all my perfected, sparkling thumbs-up!! May the youth always be with you!!

I have, btw, finally made a decision.

The story will end with a... X3

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

-()-()-

Was that guy ever going to actually 'teach' him anything?

Grumbling some choice words under his breath, Roy unlocked the door leading to the large garden. With an annoyed sigh, he braced himself against the first gust of hot, dry air. As soon as the door swung open, the young boy took an involuntary step back inside as the heat licked at his tanned features and brought instantly beads of salty sweat to form on his upper lip and practically on every square inch of skin as well.

He didn't particularly like the heat, never had and never would.

He couldn't imagine ever travelling to the desert and how people even survived there more than a day, was a mystery, Roy had sworn to himself, he would never try to uncover!

Summers in the east were hot, dry and uneventful.

The days were long and boring, because nobody dared to stay outside for more than twenty minutes and when the thermometer climbed the scale towards 40 degrees Celsius, even the trees could be heard groaning in the absolute stillness.

Rolling his eyes, even though no-one was there to even take notice of his protest, Roy shuffled outside and sprinted to the big, old oak in the middle of the yard. Dry leaves rustled in a short gust of hot wind and he patted the large, rough trunk sympathetically.

This summer, he was told by one of the neighbors, was said to be the hottest to date and even the thunderheads, that were supposed to be raining their load down on the region around this time, dissipated as soon as they came near the mountains.

The land was longing for water, but there was not even the smallest cumulus to be seen.

When Roy looked up -his raven, messy hair slowly but surely turning into a mass of hot oil-, he found a grey column of smoke rising from the yellowed grass surrounding the mansion. Another fire had broken out, burning the fields and small forests into crisp charcoal.

Sometimes he thought, fire was the worst enemy of nature.

Even days after they had been extinguished, he would find dead animals lying everywhere among the remains of their refuges and it took weeks until the first lonely buds of wheat poked their green heads out of the black ground.

He pulled a face, making a mental note to keep an eye on the development of the fire in case it changed direction and headed for the large house.

Because at the moment, he was alone.

His sensei had left for some urgent business... something about his daughter -Roy had yet to meet- and his work. Why he had to travel all the way to that small town somewhere around the border, the kid with the keen eyes didn't know.

What was the name of that village? Resembrowl? Resembrook? Reassemble?

Unnerved at his inability to remember the correct name, Roy deftly threw the kitchen trash on the heap behind some dry bushes and dashed back towards the door. He thought briefly about taking a shower, because he simply couldn't stand the thought of sticky clothes and sweaty skin, but dismissed the possibility quickly when he remembered that he still had to do those ridiculous exercises his sensei had ordered him to do.

"Train the body and mind, my ass." He spat angrily, eyes narrowing when he mentally went through the list of books he still had to read till midnight.

Coming around the oak, Roy's eyes suddenly settled on a lonely figure standing outside on the porch and he came to an abrupt halt. With a deep frown, the heat totally forgotten, he slowly walked on, his dark orbs all the time glued to the silent, unmoving girl.

She was younger than him. Probably 11 or so.

Her blond hair was captured into a ponytail, some loose strands framing her round face. She wasn't really pretty, small nose, pouting lips and freckles. The edge of a fresh, white bandage was lurking out from underneath the neckline of her dress and he frowned for a second before shrugging it off as an injury from childish impetuosity.

What had caught Roy's attention though, were her eyes.

The reddish-brown of the Ishvalian devils and so unbelievably sad. There was something dark shining within their depths, capturing Roy instantly in a strange spell. He couldn't yet describe the emotion so blatantly obvious in them, having not lived long enough to encounter and experience such feelings.

But he guessed 'sad' was covering it at least somewhat.

"Hi." He said slowly, cocking his head to one side as he found her orbs staring back at him in fascination. "Hello." She replied after a while.

Biting her lip, the girl frowned. "Who are you?"

"My name's Roy Mustang. I'm living in this house." Roy muttered and scratching the back of his head, he added: "Did ya get lost? You want me to bring you back to your mommy?"

The girl made no motion to confirm his guess, nor did she open her mouth to answer for a rather long, unnerving moment.

When she finally spoke, Roy felt instantly bad. "My mom is dead."

A long, uncomfortable -though, only he felt so by the looks of it- silence descended upon the two, even more oppressive in his opinion than the heat.

"I- I am sorry... I-"

"I live here, too." She suddenly interrupted his attempt to apologize without blinking. Her hands started to play with the hem of her summer dress, producing wrinkles in their wake. "My mother always told me not to speak with strangers, but when you live here, then you can't be a stranger, because my father must know you, right?"

Her logic took him totally off guard and he stared at her, stupefied.

Suddenly, a small hand appeared in between them and as she proffered it to him, her smooth, somehow calming voice erupted again from her lips. "I am Elizabeth Hawkeye, but my mom always called me Riza."

A lopsided grin appeared on Roy's lips as he took the hand in his own and shook it solemnly. Maybe she wasn't that bad after all. At least the sadness had retreated and her obsidian eyes watched him alertly, seemingly exploring his own charcoal ones in childish curiosity.

"Nice to meet ya, Riza."

-()-()-

The first thing, Roy got aware of, was a strange numbness weighting down his body. His limbs felt heavy and his mind appeared to be detached from his head.

He couldn't really remember the events prior to this sudden and uncharacteristic sleepiness, but there was this dark image hovering somewhere around the edge of his consciousness, like a distorted shadow in his peripheral vision. Mustang just seemed to be unable to make it materialize clearly.

Slowly awareness returned and with a frown (though, he wasn't sure whether he actually, physically frowned or whether he merely thought with a frown), he felt something pointy poke his right side in an unrelenting pattern. With a surge of annoyance, he tried to move his hand, intending to bat it away, but to his overly dismay, he merely succeeded in making a grunting noise of discomfort.

"Colonel Mustang appears to regain consciousness!" The nearness of the voice hurt in his oversensitive ears, evoking yet another groan to form in his itching throat.

The poking continued.

"Don't think so. That bastard is gonna sleep till judgment day, if ya ask me." "I'm not asking you, brother." Came the blunt, metallic voice and in return the prodding stopped for a heartbeat. Just to start again more vigorously.

Finally, Roy's hand obeyed his brain enough to move slightly and he grabbed blindly for the 'thing' bringing his already raw nerves to the very point of snapping. To his surprise, he actually got hold of the device from hell and felt with rising irritation his hand close around the cool steel of a metal pole.

Groggily, his eyelids opened slowly, revealing glassy black.

He couldn't see anything or anyone at first, but when suddenly a form lunged in front of his vision, Mustang could barely suppress the yelp of surprise. His eyes snapped open completely and the blurry figure moved back again, an antenna-like feature whipping around on his head.

"Fullmetal?" Roy asked, bringing a clammy hand up to massage his pounding temples. But instead of soothing the headache down, the mere movement intensified it even more.

"Don't expect a cookie or well done kiss, idiotic Colonel." Ed muttered with a roll of his eyes and Roy swore he heard him mumble "and we were actually worried for a second there" under his breath as he got up from the ground and stood beside his armored brother.

With a supreme effort, the raven haired Colonel pushed himself up on his elbows, registering for the first time, that he was lying on concrete. A cool breeze engulfed him, making him shiver slightly in his wet clothes.

Wet?

Bolting into a sitting position, Roy's eyes moved about the room -hall- in frenetically disorder. He found a high ceiling hovering above him, pipes and old machines standing against sickly grey walls. Some lonely light bulbs hung from an old car and the walls, barely illuminating the big hall enough to see the ends.

"What the hell?" He pressed out between clenched teeth, feeling his heartbeat quicken and his head spin with dizziness. A nauseous feeling spread through his churning stomach and for a second, Mustang feared he would vomit onto the black boots of the irked Elric.

"Yeah. Hell covers it pretty much." Ed began, arms akimbo as he looked around their prison. "We've been here for about one and a half days as far as we know. Not really easy to guess the time when you were knocked out and inside this chamber for more than five hours."

It was then that Roy remembered and his hand shot instinctively to his side. To his increasing confusion, there was nothing. No stab wound, no bandage, not even the slightest mar of his skin. The only sign, that there must have been a bleeding injury at some point, was the crusted blood he found after examining his fingers incredulously.

"Seems, that old geezer healed us." Edward offered with a sigh, showing his upper right arm, where his torn shirt suggested the work of a sharp weapon. A sword or knife.

"Wait! Old geezer? Healing us? Where are we?" The questions stumbled out of Roy's mouth, before he could even think about them and suddenly Roy remembered an important part of the things he was currently trying to remember and comprehend.

"Where is she?" He demanded to know, voice laced with concern.

There was a moment of absolute silence, Ed having averted his gaze to look at the chest of his younger brother. He looked almost ashamed when Alphonse began to explain what had happened.

"When you appeared on the mountainside, the Lieutenant lost sight of the Homunculi for a second and Pride used that moment to attack. I wanted to help her, but the shadows had already crept into my body and threatened to damage the blood sigil." Al trailed off suddenly and Roy nodded in understanding.

He himself couldn't actually recall the event that had lead directly to their capture, only one image seemed to be stuck in a loophole inside his mind.

Riza. Falling.

"Seems like we're not the only ones kept prisoner here, though." Ed continued after a while. He walked past the spot where Roy was still sitting and with a confused frown, the Colonel found his gaze fixed on a set of doors he hadn't noticed until then.

"If you listen carefully," the young man said, pointing a metal finger at the doors, "you can hear screams from time to time."

Roy's jaws clenched painfully and with a sharp exhalation of his increasing frustration, he got up from the cold, dirty ground. He dusted off his trousers, sighing when he realized that his attempts were futile. He was caked in mud and dried blood clung to his skin. He didn't even want to know how his hair looked like.

The blond Elric watched the Colonel headed towards him and opened his mouth to assure him, that none of the voices had sounded even remotely female (a fact, that filled him with relief, because Winry was not among the unfortunate souls). But just as the first syllable hovered on his lips, the door swung open, crashing into the wall with a loud bang.

A slender figure was pushed inside unceremoniously and right after the new prisoner, the Homunculi Greed and Envy appeared. They both looked rather bored, even unnerved by the task they had been assigned to. The two human-like beings stepped closer at an casual pace, Envy bending down to 'help' the sprawled body up again.

She grunted her disapproval, some curses following in a venomous voice.

Eyes going wide as he recognized the voice, Ed took a step forward, fists starting to shake in rage by his side. He distinctly heard his brother walking up beside him, staring incredulously at the three figures closing in.

"Heya!" Greed lifted his hand in greeting, the face of Ling Yao smiling back at them. The Colonel's jaw gritted in confusion as he remembered the day when he had met this man before... unlike today, he hadn't been a Homunculus back then.

"How's it going?" He asked languidly, scratching his ear as he looked around the hall lazily, not even pretending that he wasn't the slightest bit interested in their answer.

"Yo, metal-bean! Ya mind taking over that bitch? Can't stand cocky women..." Envy barked, trailing off at the end when his grinning eyes caught the Colonel's charcoal ones staring intensely at him, an aura of rage surrounding his very being.

With a not so gentle push, he shoved the still cursing woman into the arms of Edward Elric, rolling his eyes when the young man almost lost his balance with the initial impact. His brother steadied him in his attempts to stay upright by putting one large hand on Ed's back.

"Fuck you, bastard!" Edward spat out between gritted teeth, carefully lowering the female prisoner down. Immediately he started working on the ropes tied tightly around her raw wrists, some of his own swear words escaping his lips, when he found them slick with blood.

"Ha!" Envy roared, throwing his hands up above his head in exaggeration. "Wish I could actually screw a certain somebody, but she's way to valuable and right now, a bit to frail, to have real fun with."

The last bit of self-control dissipated out of the Colonel's mind and something snapped. Without missing a beat, he dashed to where Envy was standing, his eyes solely focused on the shorter man. He couldn't think straight. He couldn't form one coherent thought.

"Don't touch her!" He yelled, fist raised as he aimed for the sneering man's face.

To his utter surprise, two strong hands wrapped around his raised arm and with of feeling of vertigo, he suddenly found himself being thrown around, his side making painful contact with the ground. For a second he was disorientated, a groan escaping from his throat as he tried to roll onto his back.

A boot stopped him in his motion, kicking him painfully in his ribs. Mustang bit his tongue in the process, blood shooting into his mouth.

When he opened his eyes, his vision slightly blurred, he found Ling standing above him with a neutral face. Neither grinning, nor looking angry. Just one brow had risen in disapproval as he retreated once again, leaving Roy lying in a heap at the feet of Envy.

"Pathetic human." He spat in disgust and turned back around, making a move for the wide open door. "You'll see her soon enough."

With that, both Envy and Greed left, the door clicking shut behind them.

"You're such an idiot, Colonel." Ed barked after a moment. Al appeared suddenly in Roy's line of view and he offered the injured man a leather hand. He took the proffered hand gratefully, pulling himself up into a more or less standing position.

His ribs ached horribly and he had a hard time catching his breath, but in fact, he didn't really pay attention to the physical pain. His mind was still too occupied to comprehend what had happened to him. Mustang tried desperately to extinguish the picture of his bloodied Lieutenant.

"Why did I have a feeling, I'd meet you guys here?"

The voice had come from the new prisoner and in return, a feeble smile appeared on Ed's lips. "Heartless as always, sensei."

With a deep sigh, Izumi rubbed her untied wrists gently, flinching slightly, when a jolt of pain rushed through her limbs when she started massaging them slowly. The blood circulation had been cut to the point where her fingers had gone numb and now that the blood was rushing back into the digits, they felt like a swarm of bees was humming through her veins.

"How long have you been here? I've been in isolation for about three days now. Hard to tell with the 24 hour light show." She muttered, getting up from the ground with Edward's help. Her eyes settled for a rather long second on Colonel Mustang and finally, with a frown, she pointed her thumb at him. "Who's that guy?"

Eyes going wide, Ed began to stutter. "W-well... he- he... no idea actually."

An ominous brow rose high on Izumi's forehead as she regarded Ed with the 'I-so-totally-don't-believe-a-word-you-say'-look and focused her gaze instead on a shivering Alphonse Elric. Who looked like he wanted to dissolve in thin air under her scrutinizing stare.

"R-really, s-sensei! We have no idea-" "I'm Colonel Roy Mustang." Talk about signing your death sentence... "I'm a State Alchemist known under the name-"

"Flame Alchemist Roy Mustang." Izumi finished, a strange (to Roy) gleam sparkling in her sharp eyes.

"Ha, ha! What a small world!" Ed began, patting the air in front of him in embarrassment. "Who'd have thought, that the military is involved here?" He spluttered and Al made a move to pull Roy out of the direct proximity of his former sensei. But it was already too late for a new cover-up story.

Ed was still rambling on behind Izumi, when she stalked closer, Mustang totally oblivious to the reasons why Ed and Al were chickening out.

"The one Colonel Mustang who recruited you, Ed? The one Colonel Mustang who made you a dog of the military?" Suddenly feeling a bit uneasy, Roy took a step back and bumped into the shocked Al, trapped for good now. Why was she sounding like he had committed the crime of the year? "The one Colonel Mustang who is responsible for all the crappy missions you've been assigned to till now?"

There was no answer needed obviously, because once again Roy found himself kissing the dusty floor a second time (and curiously within one minute). Lying on his stomach, he felt someone really strong pull his right arm backwards in a painful angle and with a supreme effort and struggle, he rolled out from underneath the attacking woman, just as a sandaled foot was about to stomp down on his head.

Eyes wide, he stared at the crack in the concrete floor and then up at the fiery orbs of that Izumi-woman. He seemed to be in for some bashing!

But then, to his surprise, the Elrics came to his rescue and wrestled down (or tried to) their teacher and friend together... failing quite spectacularly. Only after a long struggle and some suppressed tears on his side, did they manage to tackle her down.

Still spitting out obscenities, Izumi slowly calmed down and after another five minutes, Ed declared it safe to let go of her limbs, though the Colonel was more than reluctant to do so with the death glare directed at him through narrowed eyes.

"Sensei! Do you know why you are here?" Ed asked here suddenly, gaining her undivided attention at last.

A pained expression flickered across her face, before she pulled herself together again and stared back at her former students. "They said something about 'human sacrifice'. Combined with what you have told me during your last visit, I guess it has something to do with creating the Philosopher's Stone."

Lips pressed together into a firm line, Ed gave her a grim look that confirmed her theory. At least she had been able to keep Sig out of this for once and keep him safe in their home-

"They're gonna transform the complete country into the Stone." Ed interrupted her thoughts like a knife and her eyes went wide in fear and disbelief. The complete country? Amestris and all its inhabitants? That was insane! Completely impossible! How did they intend on creating the Stone on such a large scale?

"They have obtained the way to create it, sensei." Again one of the two brothers cut through her mind's disordered reasoning and she stared up at the towering form of Alphonse. He seemed to look away ashamed, as if he himself had given them the key.

"How? They need a very complex transmutation circle... it'll have to be gigantic, as large as the country itself in fact!"

"We don't know all the details, yet. Just that they have gotten their hands on a very advanced, if not perfect array." Ed finished in a low voice, making eye contact with both Al and Izumi for a long moment. They stared back at him firmly, an unspoken exchange between them as they contemplated their next steps.

It was again the only female prisoner who interrupted the gloomy silence. "How did you get your hands on the array? Couldn't you have destroyed it." She asked and after a short pause added: "I know you need the Stone to get your bodies back, but with the Homunculi breathing down your neck, you shouldn't have taken the risk of-"

"The array was tattooed onto the back of one of my subordinates." Roy cut the woman with long black hair short in her speech in a defeated tone of voice. He watched her eyes go wide at the sheer cruelty of such a frivolous act of absolute lack of respect for the human being.

"They used someone as... living medium? How- Why?"

"Because..." Al began, making an effort to look Izumi in the eyes. "Because the womb of a woman is needed to give birth to the Philosopher's Stone. A Stone made of compressed human souls. 'Many' souls." He summarized what little information they had found and watched concerned as the Colonel's naked hands balled into tight fists.

"A woman's womb." There was a sad twinge to her voice, as the words rolled off of her tongue almost longingly. She collected herself quickly though, when she found the pained expressions on both Ed and Al's faces. "I've never even considered the possibility."

"Neither have we."

-.-.-.-.-.-

-()-()-

"Papa?" A tiny voice asked tentatively into the silence.

But there was answer. Only the constant noise of a pen scribbling down furiously, unrelentingly on a paper.

"Papa? I had a bad dream." The small girl stepped closer to the door. It was slightly ajar, a golden sliver of light coming out from the crack.

She wasn't afraid of the darkness. It was just that her father had those creepy books, which she wasn't allowed to read... but this morning, she had allowed curiosity to take over and had leaved through the pages of one and had come across 'it'.

Still no answer.

Nothing unusual for the girl with the bright obsidian eyes.

Her father wasn't really the talkative type of person, always hovering above his uncountable books, reading all day long and pouring over his notes. He hadn't played with her ever since mom had died over a year ago and sometimes, she felt very lonely.

She missed her mother. Often enough, she hid downstairs in the dark basement, between the shelves filled with green and red bottles of wine and cried silently into her sleeves. But she would never tell her father, that she felt lonely.

That she wanted her mom back or that she was afraid of the sound of something transmuting.

She didn't want to tell him, that she was afraid of the neighbour dogs or that she missed the smell of mom's shampoo.

He had told her after the funeral that strong girls don't cry. So she didn't cry.

The scribbling continued behind the massive wooden door, the noise already a constant in Riza's young life. It was almost soothing to listen to the sound of the feather's point scratching lightly across the white paper.

"Papa, are you in there?" She tried again and pressed her small palm flat against the door, giving it a slight push. To her surprise, it didn't budge and remained merely ajar. With a pout, she remembered that sometimes, the high stacks of important, worn books toppled over and were now probably blocking the door from the inside.

Her father had been working a lot lately, having locked himself up in his study for most of the days and leaving his daughter alone to her chores and schoolwork. She saw to it, that he ate and drank regularly, but this morning he had been outside when she had brought him breakfast.

Having known, that he had forbidden her explicitly to read any of his books, she had crept up to one of his many book stacks and had pulled out a leather bound one, her heart having pounded in her chest in excitement. When she had opened it, one ear all the while listening for her father's return, she had found a strange array drawn in her father's hand on a single page, consisting of a upside down tree and many suns and then she had found 'it'.

A large eye staring back at her from the white sheet of paper.

Shuddering, Riza tried to push the door open again. With an increasing feeling of fear and concern, she pressed her small form flat against the door frame and started to squeeze herself through the gap. With an effort, she finally managed to get into the study, her face flushed from her struggle.

"Father?"

He had his back turned towards him, his arm moving furiously about one of the many diaries he kept. Only two or three candles on his large desk offered some light and long shadows stretched out all around her.

His breathing, now that she was close enough to actually hear it, sounded strained, as if it took a lot of strength and effort to heave his chest. And there was something else... a strange, sweet smell.

Frowning, the young girl took another step forward and felt her bare foot sink into a gooey mass. Making a grimace, she looked down and stopped dead. Her eyes were fixated on the spot where her foot was still stuck inside the jelly-like substance, her brain unable to comprehend what she was seeing there.

A wet cough from her father pulled her momentarily out of her stupor and with fearful, wide eyes she looked at his back again.

"Papa! W-what is this!?"

Shakily, she took a step back, away from the something lying in a crimson, oozy heap of flesh and organs. She walked across the black lines of a large transmutation circle drawn on the carpet right behind her father's table and with trembling fingers, she grasped onto the tall man's shirt.

The form of her father went rigid, and after a second of oppressive silence he swiveled around, wild eyes staring down at his young daughter in surprise, as if he had just realized that she was there.

Tears welled up inside Riza's reddish orbs when she found bright, fresh blood trickling down the corners of his mouth, staining her nightgown and floor with red dots. Finally his own hollow eyes settled on her face, but it seemed like he was looking right through her.

"Why hasn't she returned?" He mumbled slowly, tiredly. "My theory was perfect."

"Papa! What is going on?" Salty drops spilled down her round cheeks, mingling with the blood and gore on the carpet. "Are you hurt?" Her hands wrapped around the arm of her father, trying to pull him out of his trance-like state. Why wasn't he looking at her? Where was that blood coming from?

"I can't bring her back... she left me behind. Alone." He was still ignoring Riza, one hand reaching out to the bloody array on the carpet. "I need the Stone... yes, the Stone..."

Riza didn't understand one word leaving her father's mouth, but she knew that she had to get help. Her neighbours were probably still awake. She had to-

As she turned around, her eyes fell again on the bloody heap in the middle of the array.

A long, terrified shriek tore from her throat, when two brown, hollow orbs stared right back at her from a sea of blood.

-()-()-

Riza woke with a start, feeling her heart beating furiously in her chest. Her eyes were burning, just as always when she had had a dream evolving around that event.

The Colonel wasn't the only one who got plagued by nightmares, but she was way better at hiding it. She had never wanted to burden outsiders with her past and problems and refused to talk about them even when asked directly.

Slowly, as awareness washed over her senses, Hawkeye took stock of her body's condition, noting with a pang of alarm, that her side wasn't hurting anymore. Nor did her ribs and arm. She could just feel a dull ache somewhere crawling through the back of her head, but otherwise she was fine.

As her eyes slowly gained focus, she could make out her surroundings.

Wherever she was, it was gloomy.

Barely enough light to see the far wall or details of the obviously old machines and rubble lining her vision.

Judging by the look and feeling, she was lying on something about one meter above ground level on her belly. Her arms and legs were pointing away from her body like a star and it was only then, that she realized, that she couldn't move her them.

With a rising feeling of trepidation, she moved her arms and legs experimentally, the alarm bells in her mind ringing even louder when she made out the sound of rattling chains. Tight iron cuffs were wrapped around her wrists and ankles, preventing her limbs from moving more than an inch.

She also got aware of the feeling of a slight breeze caressing the bare skin of her back. Shocked, she realized, that she was indeed stripped down to the waist, a shiver crawling down her spine, causing goose bumps to rise in its wake.

"Oh."

Her movements ceased instantly, when the simple exclamation reached her ears and with what little scope she had, Riza tried to look around at the owner of the voice. She could just make out the form of a bearded man hovering at the edge of her peripheral vision, a gown-like dress giving him an ancient, sophisticated aura.

But there was also that suffocating pressure engulfing her form, originating obviously from where he was standing.

Sweat was gathering above her brows when she listened to his footsteps drawing closer towards her. She felt like a lamb waiting for the slaughterer, helpless and at the mercy of her enemy. She couldn't even say anything, her tongue suddenly lying heavily at the bottom of her mouth.

Useless.

"You are finally awake." An almost pleasant voice announced and at the same time, the cloaked figure stepped right into Riza's line of view. Her breathing had picked up the slightest bit as she tried to look her opponent into the eyes.

"You are probably feeling uncomfortable right now and I feel deeply sorry for what my children have put you through, but there seemed to be no other way, but to use force to persuade you to come here."

The little speech pulled the young Lieutenant out of her stupor and she glared openly up at the broad man, eyes cold. "'Persuade us'? You kidnapped us and almost killed my comrades! Where am I and where are the others?!" She demanded to know, concern for the well-being of her friends -for 'him'- suddenly overweighing the fear of not knowing what was going to happen to her.

"Do not worry, Elizabeth." The usage of her real first name caused both goose bumps and her anger to rise beyond defining. "The sacrifices are all in good health."

Without another word, the man moved around the head of the table she was lying on. A rough finger touched her left shoulder and moved idly, almost feather-like across her neck and to her right shoulder. Riza tried and failed to suppress a shiver of disgust to move through her torso at that.

She could practically feel his gaze move across her back, studying intently the array tattooed into her very being. Riza could just hope, that the rain from earlier (though she wasn't exactly sure, when 'earlier' had actually been) had washed away the ink.

"It appears, the Flame Alchemist has done some very poor work on this array." The deep voice announced his disapproval for the large burn scar solemnly. Riza wet her lips at that, hoping her voice would stay strong.

"We won't give you the complete transmutation circle, so you better-"

"Your father was indeed a sick individual, branding his only daughter with such a burden. Sick, but very intelligent. Only a genius could achieve such an almost perfect masterpiece of art and study within a lifetime. Unfortunate soul never lived to complete his work, though." He remarked with a slight frown.

Riza felt a large palm come to rest flatly in between her shoulder blades and she tensed involuntarily in anticipation.

There was the unmistakable noise of sizzling alchemic energy as her skin started to prickle from the sensation of warmth spreading out over her shivering back.

"Lets see what is hidden underneath that scar."

Searing pain exploded in her left shoulder, burning its way through her core like liquid, hot magma. Riza could feel layer after layer of skin getting peeled off of her back, the excruciating agony bringing tears to her eyes.

Biting her lips in order to prevent a scream from escaping her throat, she felt her mind slowly clouding.

Her self-control slipped out of her grasp and when the transmutation reached her muscle tissue, she couldn't fight anymore.

Before darkness claimed her, she heard a long agonized scream filling her mind, the echo accompanying her fall into the black abyss of blissful unconsciousness.

-.-.-.-.-.-

"I... I really could do... with a cig." Havoc's weak voice muttered, his eyes closed against the relentlessly burning sun.

There was a long silence until finally a big sigh rolled through the small group of men.

"I could do with some water." Falman said, staring down at the yellow-white sand.

"I could do with an oasis." Breda huffed, idly kicking some small pebbles out of the shadows and into the bright light.

"I could do with a radio." Fuery supplied, hoping his family had somehow acquired a mind link and was currently heading for the border, out of Amestris.

There was a pathetic whine, coming from the small dog lying to Breda's feet, for the sturdy Lieutenant had obviously lost his fear of dogs along the haste escape out of Amestris and into the unbelievably hot desert of the eastern region. By now, Black Hayate had found out that Breda was throwing the biggest shadow (straight after Armstrong, naturally) and had decided to stay by his side now matter how much the human wailed and complained.

After another long pause, the four men opened their dry mouths, vocalizing their only true wish:

"I could do with a plan!"

Right at that moment, the fifth man appeared around the corner of the rocky outcrop, the group had taken refuge behind, his sparkling -if not, a bit bloody and dirty- form almost blinding the other four soldiers.

"We are indeed lucky in the face of doom!" He announced solemnly, heading straight for the unmoving form of Jean Havoc where he was propped up against a rock. Havoc, knowing what was to come next, sighed deeply in frustration and prepared himself for the shockingly strong arms of his 'porter'.

"In the distance, I've made out an oasis, which apparently gets fed by an underground water reservoir. Although, I am quite reluctant to head for this isle of hope, because tobacco-smugglers appear to have put up their operating camp right there."

The incredulous eyes of the soldiers sitting on the sand, bathing in their sweat, seemed strange to the Major, but he dismissed their behavior as a result from the straining flight and the unbearable heat out there.

"You don't happen to have stumbled across a plan as well, Major?" Breda muttered with a risen brow, already heaving up his body from the ground. He extended a hand towards Kain, who still looked worn out from his near-death-experience and was forcing himself to behave as normal as somehow possible.

But who could actually hold it against him?

They had all reached their limits hours ago, barely able to keep their heads high enough above ground level to prevent their noses from digging sand. And that was only the physical exhaustion.

The thoughts of not being able to do anything to prevent the country from ceasing to exist and the fact that they had practically abandoned their comrades to the devil himself, had almost rendered them immobile with self reproach and disgust for themselves.

The picture of 1st Lieutenant Hawkeye pressing her faithful weapon against her temple, willing to pull the trigger for the sake of 'their' safe escape, would haunt them till the end of their days. That much was sure.

"I am reluctant to admit this, but it appears we are out of options." Alex finally answered the sarcastically and rhetorical question from the 2nd Lieutenant. "We cannot fight against them in our current condition, which was the reason why Lieutenant Hawkeye resorted to such desperate and drastic measures."

There was a pained expression wandering across the four red faces at the memory, Havoc and Fuery both having heard from the others after they had crossed the border some half a day ago.

"We also can't attempt an uproar, for the whole military stands behind this grande scheme of unbelievable cruelty."

"Which basically means, we're mud." Jean mumbled, closing his eyes when he felt a surge of pain spreading through his body. Whether it originated from his many injuries or from the thought of losing everything possibly within the next few hours, he couldn't tell.

Armstrong bowed his head in shame. "I am afraid, that is the case."

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Stop staring, brother. It's impolite."

Blinking a few times, Ed looked around just to find his only living family member (he wasn't really counting his so called 'father' to his real family... that bastard! If he ever got his hands around his damn neck, he-) standing beside their former sensei.

Izumi was resting against one of the many old machines lining the wall. They had tried to transmute the iron some two hours ago, but to their dismay, had found their alchemy not working. Having slapped his forehead and cursed, Edward had remembered, that that 'father'-guy had the strange ability to do something to their surroundings, that made it virtually impossible to transmute even the smallest pebble with Renkinjutsu.

"I'm not staring." The blond mumbled, turning his whole body away from the figure leaning silently against the opposite wall.

The Colonel had been sitting there for almost a hour now in complete silence. No movement could be detected and he didn't even respond to direct questions. He looked worn, dark circles lining his hollow eyes, face sickly ashen. From time to time, one could hear a single snap coming from his direction, the only sign, that he was still among the living.

Edward had watched him for the last few minutes, trying to think of anything to say that might pull the man out of his lethargy, but hadn't come up with a single wise-ass comment. He couldn't even find the words, to reassure himself.

Everything was going to be alright... what a stupid thing even to think!

Since having been dragged here, he hadn't even come close to seeing Winry. Nothing had been said about her well being, where she was being kept or whether she was actually still alive at all! Ed could barely think straight anymore with the guilt and concern filling his consciousness and dictating his every thought.

The screams and moans of pain had ceased more than two hours ago.

The silence had been eerie at best and Edward had found himself glancing at the iron doors more than once whenever he'd heard the distant footfalls nearing their prison. But in the end, the three humans had been left alone. And without the slightest knowledge of what was going to happen and when, there was too much room for speculating, contemplating and self-reproach.

Then, about one and half a hour ago, there had been a short disruption of the silence.

A single, agonizing scream.

Female.

The echo had carried on in the large hall for what seemed like minutes, the terror and agony piercing Ed to the very core. He hadn't been able to suppress the shiver from racking his body and when he had looked up at the Colonel, he had found the man standing rigid in the middle of their prison.

His eyes had been wide and terrified, his lips pressed together into a thin line, jaw muscles clenching and unclenching rhythmically. He had gone silent in that exact second.

Shaking his head slowly, the young State Alchemist turned fully around and walked up to where his sensei and Al were standing, talking in hushed voices.

"So, that woman is his subordinate?" Izumi asked, caressing her chin thoughtfully between index finger and thumb. Her wrists had stopped bleeding some time ago, but looked like they could need some medical attention as soon as somehow possible... if that time was ever to come, was a question that had yet to be answered.

"Yes, 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. The Colonel was the apprentice of her father and has learned alchemy from him before he joined the military."

Izumi, a strange feeling developing in her guts (which she easily identified as woman's instinct ringing a bell), watched the raven haired man for a long moment, until averting her attention again back towards the two brothers. Ed gave her a risen eyebrow.

"Are you two sure, she's only his subordinate?" Ed almost spluttered at that, feeling the heat creep into his cheeks despite his best efforts.

"How are we supposed to know anything like that, huh?" He asked a bit defiantly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "We are so not interested in that asshole's life and even if we were. It's against frat regs for them to have anything going anyway, so-"

"I believe, there is something deeper between the two of them." Al cut Edward short in his speech, earning a disapproving glare from his older brother in return. "I have seen them fight together and their bond is much more complicated than the friendship between the Colonel and his other subordinates."

A lopsided grin appeared on the woman's face after Alphonse had finished and she gave him a gentle slap on the arm. "We are all the same, when it comes to concern for our beloved ones." She pointedly made eye contact with a sulking Edward Elric, who in return felt his ears turning a nice shade of pink.

It was then, that they heard again footsteps coming nearer.

Ed looked up with a frown, when he realized, that they had stopped right outside the door leading to their confinement. In the same moment, the handle was pulled down and the doors squeaked open slowly, admitting long dark shadows to enter.

Tensing, Ed and Al watched four figures step inside and, eyes going wide in surprise, they barely noticed the shocked gasp ensuing from the Colonel, who was sitting closest to their 'guests'. He had bolted upright, staring intently at three men. They nodded their heads back at him and stepped further inside.

"Colonel Mustang." One of them acknowledged the young soldier with a polite nod. "Nice to see you again at last. We were missing you in Central."

"General Reibun." Roy mumbled, feeling his heartbeat quicken the slightest bit. Beside the tall, tanned man, he found both General Walker and General Bergnun grinning darkly back at him in the gloomy light. "What- no." He stopped himself, before he could ask such a foolish question. Mustang knew quite well what they were doing here. He had, after all, discovered himself, the connection of the higher brass to the Homunculi.

The real question was, 'How much longer'.

"Colonel, at ease." Reibun muttered, brows creasing in disapproval at seeing the lower ranked man stare at them with fiery, intense eyes. Roy looked like he was struggling with himself to stay calm.

"Yeah, shit-head." The fourth figure stepped finally out from behind the three Generals into the light, a cocky smile plastered on his pale features as he regarded first Mustang and then the other three alchemists with a sneer. "Don't wantcha to wet your pants before it gets actually justified to piss yourself."

The Colonel glared openly back at the slender man, his hands suddenly feeling cold without the silky material of his ignition gloves wrapped around his skin.

"Where is she?" He asked in a low, dangerous tone, narrowed eyes watching as Envy took two steps towards him. He felt himself tense slightly, expecting the Homunculus to do something. But to his utter surprise, the grin only seemed to grow at the Colonel's unspoken threat.

"Ya know, 'Colonel'.", he spat and eyed the raven haired man thoughtfully. "That scream earlier... that sound. Wasn't it just wonderful?"

Roy's orbs clouded and his body went slack. Everything around him seemed to cease to exist, his eyes solely focused on his gloating opponent.

"I couldn't suppress the shiver at hearing her voice break from the pain... Have you ever made her scream like that? When you burned her back?"

"Stop."

"I really wish, father would've let 'me' work on her... maybe, she would have even told us some secrets and-"

"You fucking bastard!" Roy lunged for Envy, even as the words left his burning throat. His mind had blackened completely, cold, crimson rage burning its way to his very core. His fingers were inches from the humanoids' neck, his consciousness not registering the broadening sneer on Envy's face as he cracked his knuckles.

"Don't!"

Ed crashed into the Colonel's back, sending them both flying to the floor at the feet of the Generals. The young State Alchemist landed on Roy's back, knocking the wind out of the man's lungs in the process. For a few seconds, he felt the Colonel struggle against his iron grip, but eventually, Mustang's arms went limp. After a while, he slowly pushed himself up from the ground.

"So scaaaary." Envy said mockingly, grinning widely at his victory. He loved pulling the man's strings and was actually surprised how easy it was to make the Torch Alchemist explode. Humans were so predictable, pathetic beings. He sometimes wondered how they had even made it so far as to have invented light bulbs.

Chuckling, he turned suddenly around, not sparing the four prisoners with another glance.

"We are actually here, to escort you to another room, my friends." General Reibun broke the silence, his wrinkled face turning to each of the assembled alchemists in return. He then turned as well and headed for the door, his entourage close behind.

Sharing a look, Izumi, the Elrics and Mustang followed them silently into the dark corridor.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Holding his breath, a pair of narrowed eyes watched the men and woman walk down the corridor into the opposite direction.

'Be patient', the owner told himself, shallow breathing ceasing as he disappeared back within the shadows.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS?!

Yosh! Here went another chapter. Hope you didn't get bored, but I had to do this.

I am truely (not) sorry for the frequent Colonel bashing throughout the pages... it was just so tempting to make him suffer some more here. Muahahahahaha!!

I have also to admit, that I got carried away here and didn't finish this chapter the way I had planned it at the beginning. Meaning, the big huge honkin' revelations/action scenes/ reunions will have to wait another few days... weeks. Because (and I hope you can prevent your evil glares from getting too intense), I am actually off for another field trip.

This time, the wilderness of the wonderful German woods will greet me in nature's embrace. The internship will take two weeks and afterwards a lot of lab work. I will work as hard as somehow possible on getting the next chapter done within a few weeks!! Promise!

See ya and don't forget to make me smile and squeal like an idiot... every review makes my ears turn red.

Beware of shameless self-advert: I have written my second FMA story... a tag scene to chapters 70/71... maybe one of you likes it o.O'


	8. Chapter 8

Author's rambling:

I recommend you look up the following pages of the manga, because you'll probably need an array-refreshment in order to imagine how I intended on mixing them... I needed one several times and I can't count the sketches I did only for this chapter. Here is a list, but you can also just read on.

Chapter 53, page 19 (panel 2) and chapter 57, page 31 (panel 5)… basically Riza's array and the one in the ruins of Xerxes!

I tried to be as descriptive as possible!

I hope this is to your liking… a bit depressing mood, combined with action and fluff… and now continue reading the until now longest chapter!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The first difference, Roy got aware of after he had stepped out into the corridor, was the considerable difference of temperature. There must have been an amplitude of almost ten degrees Celsius, sweat almost instantly gathering on his brows as the heat washed over him.

The humidity inside their chamber had been much higher as well, the smell of mold a constant feature he had gotten accustomed to within hours of having spent inside his prison.

Sweeping the back of his hand across his forehead, Mustang suppressed a sigh.

The hallway was quite long and the small group of alchemists, Generals and the lonely Homunculus had been walking through the gloomy pharynx for close to ten minutes by now.

Nothing had been spoken so far, the only human noise, the heavy breathing of General Bergnun. He was a short, round man, about 60 years old and had never even seen the battlefield, except for the budget requests on his desk. A desk jokey and one hell of a stupid fellow. Roy despised such mindless, arrogant people and had vowed to kick them all out as soon as he had climbed the throne and had become the Führer.

Glaring another few holes into the Generals' backs, he gazed through the corner of his eyes at the short blond walking along beside him.

Edward Elric looked indifferent to the outer eye, his orbs constantly straying from one wall, to the front and to the other wall. To Colonel Mustang, he looked like a soldier considering the weak points of his enemy and looking for fast escape routs.

As much as the Fullmetal Alchemist may have been denying it, he was a natural soldier, a strategist and fighter through and through.

Looking up ahead again, Roy suddenly found himself closing in on a rectangle of brightness. The door to an illuminated room lay directly in front of them, marking the end of the tunnel and the beginning of the next act.

He could already make out a conversation in hushed voices as the entrance came closer, two figures crossing his limited view and disappearing again on the opposite side of the hall. A frown spread out on his forehead, when Roy recognized one of the voices as Ling's, but the second... dark, raspy... it sounded almost pleasant as it flowed off of the walls and echoed through his ears.

"Yo!"

Eyes narrowing at hearing 'his' voice, Mustang eyed Envy venomously. The short man was standing in the doorway, arms akimbo and the ever present cocky grin plastered on his thin lips. Roy's hands were itching to wipe that smile off of that monster's mug and rearrange his features.

"Don't conk on me now, ladies. And try not to look as pathetic as ya are." With that said Envy turned back around and entered the room.

Roy followed close behind the Generals, head held high as he stepped into the bright light. He had to blink a few times as the whiteness infiltrated his senses and that after he hadn't been exposed to more than the gloomy light for more than two days.

Slowly, his vision cleared, charcoal orbs flickering across the interior of their destination.

Bewildered, he found an armchair-like throne standing off to the right side, tubes and pipes protruding out of the back and running in wild disorder across the floor until they disappeared inside the walls and ceiling. Right beside the throne, two large desks had been placed, countless glasses and chemicals standing on the polished surface.

As Mustang allowed his gaze to travel, he came across a large transmutation circle drawn on the blank ground. It looked definitely familiar, but before he had the chance to dive into the details that composed the grande, complicated array, the strange voice from earlier caught his attention.

"You have arrived, my friends."

Brows furrowing into a frown of bewilderment, Roy watched a broad man clothed in a robe, stepping closer towards them. His wrinkled face looked ancient and his eyes had a dark, but wise gleam shining within their depths.

"_Friends_ my ass!" Ed erupted without missing a beat, his face contorting in anger and rage as he walked up towards the unfazed man. His metal hand came up as he poked the chest of his opponent with his index finger. "You keep us prisoner for God knows how long, keep my friends hostage and let us rot in a fucking chamber for don't know how long and dare to call us 'friends'?! Not to mention the fact, that your dogs almost killed us!"

Both brows of the nameless man rose in surprise, as his eyes finally settled on the short youngster with the incredulous, angry face.

"But I didn't mean you, Edward. And there does not exist such an omnipotent being as the one thing you call _God_." Ed's hand retracted slowly, bewilderment registering on his face as he watched the man walk past him without sparing him another glance.

Instead he headed straight towards the three Generals and nodded solemnly back at them.

"I am glad to be able to finally meet you. Obviously, you have already met one of my children in your time in the _military_."

The three Generals nodded, a broad grin spreading out on Reibun's face as he extended his hand towards the bearded man.

_Father_ didn't even look at the proffered hand, his own ones still clasped together behind his back. Instead he turned away from the frowning military men and averted his attention to the heavily breathing Colonel.

"Colonel Roy Mustang. What a pleasure." A set of calculating eyes stared down at the shorter man, Mustang almost succumbing to the urge to gulp under the close scrutinization. "You have been the center of many discussions in the past. And always a difficult topic, if I may dare add."

Finding his voice again, Mustang's dry lips parted.

In the same second, something light hit the spot between his shoulders and startled, Roy swiveled around just to find Ling standing some feet behind him. He was looking kind of bored as he mentioned with his chin at the ground.

A frown appeared on the Colonel's forehead when he found a pair of white familiar gloves lying in a heap at his feet. Knowing quite well, that he was given his favorite weapon with a hidden purpose, he straightened visible, suppressing his first impulse to grab them and blow those bastards all into their afterlives.

"Is there a problem, Flame Alchemist?" The dark voice of the leader of the Homunculi caught his attention and with a lopsided smile gracing his cracked lips, Roy chuckled humorlessly.

"No, nothing actually. Just that I'd rather not play that dirty game of yours any longer."

If _father_ was angry or surprised at the announcement, he didn't show it with a single movement of his facial muscles. The two men stared at each other for a very long time, until Roy suddenly realized with a pang of concern that his opponent hadn't actually been looking at him, but rather through his very being.

Gulping down a lump in his throat, he turned his head the slightest bit, catching a dark form standing just behind him barely in his peripheral vision. Something -or someone- was lying limply across the plump thing's shoulder.

Deathly still.

"Colonel Roy Mustang killed Lust." The monotone voice held the slightest hint of menace, but it was enough to bring back memories of a night, Roy wished he had never experienced in the first place.

The Homunculus standing behind him, took a small step forward, radiating pure blood lust and murderous intent. Instinctively, the Colonel turned swiftly around, facing Gluttony with jaws set in anticipation. Even while his eyes roamed over the massive form, he fell into a low crouch, grabbing blindly for his gloves and slipped them on in one fluid motion.

His right hand appeared in his line of view, index and middle finger pressed tightly against his thumb, ready to 'shoot'.

Charcoal orbs settled on the unmoving form slung across the advancing monster's shoulder.

Her blond hair whipped around with the jerky movements the Homunculus, the golden strands at the nape of her neck having been died in the crimson color of blood.

The skin of her exposed back looked different.

Where the burn scar had once been, the skin was tinged in a flawless white, the black lines and dots of the array perfectly engraved into the tissue. The creamy color was framed by large drops of dried blood,that had -at one point- formed a small rivulet of crimson liquid along her spinal cord.

Unable to move, unable to snap, Colonel Roy Mustang stared at the completed transmutation circle, the scream he had heard earlier -that bone chilling scream- echoing through his mind, swallowing the noises from the outside world.

His eyes no longer saw the massive form of Gluttony closing in on him, small black eyes filled with unimaginable hatred. His ears no longer heard the voices of the Elrics, the sigh of 'Ling' or his very own heartbeat.

What could 'he' do?

Cracked lips parted slightly, unseeing eyes staring at the beautiful shoulders of Riza Hawkeye. "I'm sorry."

"Gluttony." The simple usage of his name in a neutral tone of voice brought the fat Homunculus to an absolute standstill.

His rage dissipated almost instantly and his broad shoulders slumped as his round face turned towards the one who had uttered the word. Gluttony almost looked like a dog waiting for his owner to whip him for something he had done wrong.

"You are carrying something very important. Be more mindful." "S-sorry, father."

With that, Gluttony turned on the spot, a mere meter having parted his wide open maw from the outstretched hand of his enemy. Instead, he now walked straight to the large transmutation circle painted onto the concrete floor and laid down his unconscious burden on a triangle in the middle of the array.

Edward Elric watched as the 1st Lieutenant hit the ground with a thud, her bare back turned towards them, one arm twisted behind her at an awkward angle. She lay there peacefully, almost looking like she was asleep.

He had recognized the transmutation circle the moment, he had entered the room and had set his eyes upon it.

Ed had seen it before -though slightly less complex- in the ruins of Xerxes. There were still the two intermingled bodies of the dragons inside the pentagram, howling at the turned characters above their heads that composed the word _God_.

But there was more.

Inside the dragons lay the familiar array, Ed had seen so many times before, that he could draw it with closed eyes. The Colonel's sigil and the one tattooed onto Hawkeye's back.

Riza had been placed right onto the upside down pyramid that symbolized the female womb, her face turned towards the salamander.

Remembering his conversation with Envy at that time, when they had all been trapped within Gluttony's stomach, a thick lump rose within the young alchemist's throat. His hands balled into tight fists, a feeling of rage and helplessness spreading through his core at the sight.

Human transmutation.

And they were all going to perform it.

"You really think, we're gonna help ya with that insane shit?" He asked in a low voice, his eyes hidden as he stared at the ground. "Transform the country into the Stone? Kill millions? Use our own souls?"

The man looking exactly like his father slowly turned his bearded face towards the teen. His eyes looked dull in the gloomy light as he nodded slowly. "I do believe you will all do as you are told."

"Let go of me, you imposter!!"

Edwards form went rigid at hearing _her_ voice for the first time in months.

Strong and loud. Alive.

All eyes turned towards Winry Rockbell, where she was struggling hard against the iron grip Wrath had on her upper arm. He stared solemnly ahead, leading the young woman further into the large room, without slowing down with his fighting prisoner.

Behind him, a man with black hair appeared. His face was obscured by a gross scar and he was carrying a frightened child in his arms.

"Ed! Al!"

When their eyes finally locked, his stomach started to churn and everything around Edward ceased to exist. His metal leg took an involuntary step forward, but the rest of his muscles refused to work. He merely stood there, looking like he was in the middle of completing a motion.

Shaking away the hand on her arm, Winry rushed towards her blond childhood friend. Tears had already formed in her large eyes as she crashed into the still unmoving form of the older Elric, arms finding their way around his back. She embraced him in a hug as if her life depended on feeling him as close as somehow possible.

Closing his eyes slowly, Ed's automail arm lifted, his cold hand pressing against her trembling back as he pulled her closer towards him. His face came to rest on her shoulder and he inhaled the scent of her hair and skin.

Alive.

"Winry." Alphonse's voice erupted from close behind Ed and instantly, he felt the mechanic lift one of her arms. She grabbed blindly for the metal armor of her friend and pulled him towards the two embracing friends.

"I'm so glad, you two are alright. I'm sorry; I have been a burden again." Ed heard her whisper in a shaking voice into his neck and his heart fell into a dark void. He had made her cry again... and now she even apologized to them. Of all people... always the innocent ones felt guilty.

"Don't be." He finally mumbled back, eyes closed against the sudden prickle of tears. Whether they were ones of relief, anger or fear, he couldn't distinguish right then.

He felt the presence of _father_ shift somewhere to his left and felt a new wave of rage roll through his body, his grip on Winry's shirt tightening the slightest bit. His eyes snapped open right when Envy appeared behind her, a broad grin covering his thin lips.

"Don't you dare." Ed pressed out through gritted teeth, but the Homunculus ignored the open threat. Instead of retreating, he took hold of Winry's hair and pulled her head back with one jerk, making her cry out in surprise and pain.

"I ain't afraid of bean sprouts." With that he walked back to where Wrath was still standing in his blue uniform, hands clasped behind his back as he waited for the other humanoid to bring him back the hostage he had been assigned to by father. Envy gave her a not so gentle shove and Winry almost lost her balance, stumbling directly into the gloved hands of the Führer.

Al's large hand appeared on his brother's shoulder, right when the State Alchemist had felt the last lonely bits of self restraint and composure slip from his grasp. Inhaling once deeply, he tried to collect himself, before turning around to the head of the Homunculi and facing the man with fiery orbs.

"Planning to keep her here, to keep us in check, huh?! You fucking son of a bitch!" Ed stepped forward, growling slightly, when he felt Al still hold onto his shoulder to keep him from attacking that bastard. "Even if we would work with you and perform human transmutation, won't you all and the hostages get transmuted along? We are all in the same damn country! How do you think, that'll work!?"

A bewildered frown appeared on the forehead of the man who looked exactly like the Elric brother's father. Cocking his head slightly to the side, he eyed the blond young man curiously.

"In Amestris?" Edward went still, eyes slowly going wide. "You are mistaken. We are actually some kilometers outside the border. In the desert of Xing to be exact."

The great desert?

It was the first time since they had entered the large hall, that Ed felt the heat again. The dry heat he had experienced that time, when he had been forced to ride on a horse through the vast nothingness of Xing's great desert towards the ruins of Xerxes.

How did they intend to perform the transmutation when they weren't even inside the country?

Slowly, his orbs wandered to the other two prisoners, Wrath had escorted into the room moments ago and his gaze settled on the frightened young girl standing right beside the strangely familiar man. Her eyes shot back and forth between the Homunculi and _father_, blatant fear obvious on her round face.

"You've found out about Rentanjutsu?"

Edward hadn't intended it to be a question, for he had known the answer the second, he had seen Mei-chen.

"How very astonishing, Edward." The one looking like a twin of Hohenheim said with what sounded like genuine surprise. "You do know a great deal about alchemy, it appears."

"Ha." A humorless chuckle escaped Edward's throat, as he watched _father_ through narrowed eyes. "You'll force us to perform the human transmutation and use her ability and Rentanjutsu to... _broadcast_ this to the gigantic array surrounding Amestris, right? While we open the doors, the souls of the inhabitants will be sucked out of the bodies and will be compressed into the Philosopher's Stone right here with the array on the 1st Lieutenant's back. A safe distance between the light show and you bastards. It will be born within her... like a new life."

A long, oppressive silence descended upon the room. All the human sacrifices stared at the large array, where Riza was still lying unmoving within the triangle.

"Let me...," Roy suddenly began in a soft tone of voice, his eyes still roaming over the half naked form of his Lieutenant. She looked so peaceful right then, her back rising and falling in a hypnotic pattern. He could no longer hear the strained sound as she tried to inhale despite the immense pain in her torso, or the suppressed moans of agony.

But was her sleep really as peaceful as she deserved? Where there troubled lines on her forehead?

A wingless angel, surrounded by a pack of devils.

"Let me ask you something." He finally continued, prying his gaze away from Riza. "We theorized, that you need the array in order to open the gates by will... but... how did you create the last Philosopher's Stone without this knowledge?"

A set of blond brows lifted slightly on the high forehead of _father_ and he took a solemn step towards Roy, where he was standing between him and the complex transmutation circle. His hand moved out from behind his back and with a wide swing of his arm, he gestured to every Homunculus present in the hall.

"My children." He began, his hand disappearing once again in the sleeve of the tunic. "Their cores are small parts of the Philosopher's Stone, but unfortunately, it is not perfect."

Frowning, the human sacrifices listened more closely now.

Not perfect? Another imitation made out of thousands of souls?

"The array on this woman's back isn't required for the creation of _a_ Philosopher's Stone, but for the incarnation of the _real_ one. By using the transmutation circle you have probably seen in Xerxes, we merely transmuted the souls of the inhabitants, but they weren't reborn to form another existence."

Inhaling sharply, Ed stared wide-eyed at Envy, Ling and then _Hohenheim_. "Everybody could open the gates... even we could..." He trailed off, jaw muscles clenching and unclenching as he balled his hands into tight fists until his knuckles turned white from the strain.

"After his failed human transmutation to revive his deceased wife, Mr. Hawkeye succeeded in finding the crucial point that has been missing in all failed attempts to recreate human life. To create a perfect Stone, man has to use the perfected invention of nature. No alchemy can compete with the wonder of pregnancy."

Mustang averted his eyes from _father_, his gaze travelling slowly down towards his gloved hand. The array that had been a constant reminder of what was hidden underneath the uniform of his 1st Lieutenant all this years and of the reasons why he had sought out the position as Führer.

"Why-?" He began, but was cut short by the bearded man again. "Fire... Destruction and creation. One can't create life -the Philosopher's Stone- without destroying it."

Brows furrowing into a deep, contemplating frown, Roy remembered a time when he was still young, when he had wandered the burned fields surrounding the Hawkeye mansion. Plants and animals burned to the point where one couldn't even recognize their original form anymore, having lied scattered all around him.

Mustang had shuffled along, kicking absently at black stones. As he had watched the dry wind blow away the thick layers of ash, out of the nowhere, the bright green leaves of a plant had appeared. Having crouched down before the lonely pioneer, he had found a grand beetle sitting on a scorched twig.

"You want me to set the country on fire?"

Instead of an answer, tense silence greeted his ears. Automatically, his orbs sought out Hawkeye's form. Fire... And again she would have to give birth to the fierce element.

'At least so that it can't give birth to a new Flame Alchemist...'

Mustang was still absorbed by the sight of his motionless Riza, when two hands wrapped around his upper arms in a tight grip. Looking up through tired narrowed eyes, he found Greed standing beside him. Without a word, he began to drag the lax body of the Colonel towards one of the suns of the transmutation circle, slightly surprised, when he found the soldier shuffling along without putting up any kind of resistance.

Roy came to a halt right at the corner point of the pentagram to Riza's bare feet. He could hear Edward and Izumi putting up a noisy struggle against the ones leading them to the array, but after mere seconds, they too arrived at their destined positions of the complex circle.

The two Elric brothers flanked the points at either side of the Colonel and Izumi and the nameless man, who -in Roy's opinion- strongly resembled Dr. Marcoh, took up the last two corners of the pentagram opposite Mustang. Somewhere behind him, he could make out the sobs of the frightened young Xingese girl and he watched indifferently as Pride put five kunai into each corner of the transmutation circle.

What could they do? What could 'he' do?

The silky material of his gloves felt like on fire, an itching feeling rushing across his skin. In the corner of his eyes, he could make out the plump body of Gluttony, one of his hands clasped around the neck of Winry Rockbell and the other holding a small panda-colored cat in his tight grip.

The hostages were in place.

"What are we supposed to do, sir?" It was Reibun's voice and with an annoyed look, _father_ turned slightly around, his eyes barely able to see the Generals standing behind him. "How do we gain immortality?"

"Oh... I almost forgot you."

The frown on Reibun's face gave testament to his increasing bewilderment. He lifted his hand, taking a step forward as his mouth opened again to ask the cloaked man another question, when something hard impacted with the nape of his neck and darkness washed over his senses.

He never heard the sound of his fellow colleagues hitting the ground behind him, nor did he feel Ling and Envy drag his body to the black lines of the transmutation circle.

"Become immortal, my dear friends."

There was no feeling of sympathy or regret as Mustang watched the peacefully breathing men lying awkwardly around him, more precious deliverers of souls. He even felt slightly better, knowing that justice was at least served to them.

"Why all the human-sacrifice-crap anyway." It was again Ed's voice that interrupted the oppressive silence. He sounded distant. Defeated. Desperate.

"It is I, who performs the transmutation, my dear Edward. But unlike you, I do not plan to open the doors without having prepared my entry fees."

One corner of his mouth pulled up into a sad, lopsided grin, golden eyes casted downwards as he remembered that tiny voice asking for the fee. There was a distant ache spreading through his metal limbs like a phantom clawing at his artificial nerves and joints.

Roy's gaze wandered shortly to Edward Elric and wasn't surprised when he found the young man's hands balled into fists.

His mind was blank, dark eyes settling completely on Riza's unconscious form. Her right hand twitched slightly, looking almost like those times when she had wanted nothing more but to shoot him for never doing his paperwork on time. Or when he gave Hayate chocolate.

Or when he called her by her first name, just to make her swivel around to make sure nobody had heard.

"Riza." He softly uttered her name, even as he lifted his right hand up until it was level with his nose. In the corner of his eyes, Roy could see Gluttony's open maw right behind Winry's head, a strand of blond hair sizzling away into nothingness as it touched the fleshy tongue of the Homunculus.

"Do it." The Colonel didn't know who had said it. Filled with uncountable thoughts, his mind couldn't process anymore information.

Not snapping meant signing their deaths. The Homunculi would kill them all right here and then without blinking or missing a beat. The Elrics, the hostages, that girl.

Himself. Riza.

The Homunculi would find another way to execute their plan and make the Philosopher's Stone with the lives of thousands. They had time. So much time.

And if he did it? What if he set the transmutation circle and Amestris on fire and finally come face to face with the _doors_? Would he really be consumed by the truth? Would his soul get mingled with uncountable others and be born again as a reddish chunk of death and sorrow?

He had reached a dead end, the road in front of him no longer offering a fork leading to different endings of his life. No ladder to climb the high walls of cages. No hawk's eyes shooting free a narrow path through darkness.

His index and middle finger pressed hard against his thumb and Roy felt the first bursts of energy rush through his digits. Riza was still lying there right in front of him, golden hair framing her face.

If there was no way back, one had to look forward.

"Do it." Staring at Edward Elric, Roy nodded. Beside him, he saw _father_ bent down and touch the edge of the array with both hands, a deep rumble rolling through the dusty ground. In the same instant Roy snapped, the black lines surrounding him and the other sacrifices exploding in bright red and orange flames.

And then... nothingness.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Large eyes roamed over the emptiness surrounding her form, bright light washing over her features and making her senses tingle. Her ears started to ring, the tips of her fingers buzzing as if she had touched an electric fence and her eyes went bleary with tears.

Pressing her palms flat against her ears, she tried to keep out the screeching noise, but it only seemed to intensify even more with the motion. Unfocused eyes flickered around, trying to make out the source of the agonizingly loud sound and fell on a lonely figure standing motionlessly in the middle of the vast nothingness.

In front of the body, a large door stood, a strange ornament catching the young woman's attention.

Bare feet slowly moved forward towards the unmoving figure. There was no noise, as if she was walking on clouds or pure light.

As she approached the motionless man, she got aware of more presences. Shadows hovering at the edge of her peripheral vision, fading in and out of focus as she walked past without taking real notice of their existence.

Another soundless step, another heavy breath leaving her burning lungs. But no matter how fast her legs moved, she couldn't reach the man with the black hair. He stood there, seemingly mere meters away from her, head turned towards the top of the doors as if waiting for something to drop down from the edge.

Slowly, her heartbeat quickening in her desperate attempt to reach him, she got aware of sounds.

A bizarre mixture of squeaking hinges... stone scraping over stone... the wailing of uncountable children. The volume increased with every second until she thought she couldn't take it anymore.

When she looked at the silent man again, a scream rose in her throat.

The massive doors had opened, revealing absolute blackness and... _it_.

"No." Trembling, she heard her own voice echo through her mind, a faint breath in the vast nothingness. It felt like her very existence was nothing more than a grain of sand within a dune.

The large white eye stared down at her, its cold gaze piercing through her core, leaving her with a feeling of solitude and vulnerability. Unconsciously, her hand flew to her stomach, palm pressing flat against the soft skin as she felt her insides churn uneasily.

Fear rose within her shaking form, when her obsidian eyes fell on the lonely figure still standing motionlessly in front of the now wide open door.

His shoulders were squared, chin held high as he stared back at the darkness. A tangle of black limbs grew from within the shadows, crawling through the bright air like tentacles searching blindly for its prey. Small hands reached out for the silent man, clawing at his already shredded clothes and dragging him slowly towards the large, lidless eye.

"No." A naked arm rose from beside her hip, the tips of her fingers appearing in her line of view. It looked almost as if she was actually touching his back.

"Don't go." She heard herself mumble and surprised she felt something wet trickle down her left cheek. "Don't leave me."

Taking a step forward -silence masking her footprints like shadows- she could see out of the corner of her eyes four other figures standing in front of opened doors, giant eyes boring through them as they stared ahead.

It was then, that the one to her right started to move. The red coat flapped around his form, when he took a shaking step backwards and a guttural sound escaped his lips.

Frowning, her eyes flickered for a second to the short young man and as her orbs settled on his blond braid, a lump of black and white pictures rushed through her mind, memories intermingled with feelings and thoughts.

The blond moved more now, taking steps back and balling his hand into fists. His mouth opened and closed, eyes shining with rage as he apparently screamed at the eye and the infinite blackness. But she couldn't make out the words. As if he was standing behind thick glass.

She was still moving towards the man in front of her, when she rather felt than saw the commotion of the other three humans increase slowly. It felt like a spell had been lifted, the men and woman escaping their stupor as they backed away from the tiny black hands.

A warm feeling spread out through her lower abdomen, like warm water filling her insides.

Still she moved on, hand reaching out towards the man as he got dragged further towards darkness. The eye still stared down at him, looking almost like it was smiling.

"Roy!" She yelled at the top of her voice, lungs burning from her attempts to reach him. She couldn't even tell where the name had come from, just that it seemed right.

As if in response, the man's arm lifted slowly, a white glove appearing out of the nowhere.

Her eyes went wide and she stopped dead in her tracks.

Her subconsciousness told her that she shouldn't come nearer, should back off... find shelter from the destructive force of fire, the feeling of flames licking at her skin.

Stopping dead in her tracks, she watched mesmerized as the index and middle finger pressed against the thumb with such force, that she feared they would snap from the pressure... another millimeter and...

Suddenly, there was a flicker moving through the brightness, like statics distorting the picture on a screen. Blinking a few times, the naked woman realized that the light was diminishing and the eyes surrounding her moved their gazes around in wild disorder. A crazed chameleon looking everywhere at once.

As the light dimmed slowly, the noises came back into existence again.

There were the yells of the blond as he demanded back someone's body, the wails of an old man to spare his life. The curses and obscenities of a woman somewhere behind her and the steady, metallic voice of a young boy crying out for his brother.

And...

"Riza! Don't you dare touch her!!"

An electric current ran through the nonexistent ground, making her bare feet tingle, unpleasant jolts of energy racing up her spine. The world around her started to crumble, large pieces of brightness disappearing as an eddy of black appeared out of the nowhere right underneath her feet.

The doors flickered away, the tentacle shadows vanishing with a screeching noise of thousands of desperate voices.

For a long moment, nothing happened, the five figures standing dazed in front of the immaculate nothingness. When they turned as one, their eyes automatically settled on the spot where she was standing right on top of the whirlpool of blackness. A funnel leading into a dark abyss.

Another jolt spread through her numbing body and as she averted her gaze from the man with the raven hair, she found her feet sinking into the open space forming the ground, sucking her slowly in with a gravity that startled her. Wild eyes looked up, just to find the other people vanishing inside the whirlpool just like herself, the blond youngster closing his eyes as if he already knew what would happen.

She had already disappeared up to her waist, when she looked up again to where the tall man had been standing.

Their gazes locked just before she felt her consciousness dissolve and rearrange over and over again...

-.-.-.-.-.-

"Those damn palms just won't come nearer... ya sure that this isn't a mirage?" Breda asked, wiping away sweat with his ragged sleeve. How much water had he lost already? And that comment from Havoc earlier, that he was the only one who shouldn't worry about dehydration because he had reserves of fat just like a camel, didn't help one darn bit with the increasing thirst and transpiration.

Jean sneezed and looked up at the bright red face of the proud successor of the Armstrong family and with a surprised frown found the tall man huffing, an exaggerated sigh escaping his cracked lips at the question.

How could he dare and question his observation! The Armstrong family was famous for their spying and observation technique! Though Alex couldn't deny a little doubt gnawing at his self consciousness.

They had been wandering along a long row of rocks for about three hours, having hopped from shadow to shadow in a desperate attempt to keep out of the relentlessly shining sun. They all had sunburns that would surely soon lead to instant-skin-cancer and their bodies were as dry as the desert itself.

Looking to his left again (because to his right the muscular chest of Alex Louis Armstrong awaited his gaze), Havoc stared at the oasis seemingly hundreds of kilometers away.

In reality it was probably only another twenty minutes of stumbling through the dunes (they had left the shadings of the rocks some ten minutes ago) and evading death's grip the umpteenth time that week. But being in pain and feeling like a scorched ant didn't help much when it came to staying sane and reasonable.

Making a face, Havoc started to plan his moves a soon as they had collapsed in the shades of the palms. He would drink five liters of water, make sure the smugglers were indeed smuggling cigs and would force them with a raised gun to give him a package of heavenly coffin nails.

From behind Armstrong, Jean made out Breda talking to himself in a gruff voice. "Should've eaten my sausages when I still had 'em."

Havoc opened his mouth to make a cocky comment, when a low rumble vibrated through the ground, making the sand dance around their smoking boots. Black Hayate lurked out from underneath Breda's arm where he had taken refuge from the burning sand. His paws were raw and bloodied and the sturdy Lieutenant had had some sympathy with the canine critter and had offered to carry him for the time being.

Cocking his head slightly to the side as he listened to the moaning sand, a growl erupted from Hayate's throat, which soon turned into angry barks.

"Hey, come on! Stop moving around so much, or you can walk aga-"

The 2nd Lieutenant's threat was cut short when the dune standing between them and the oasis started to part, the sand cascading down the gap like a waterfall. Almost at the same moment, a cloud of dark grey dust rose from the hole, reminding Fuery of clouds ascending from an active volcano.

"W-what the fuck?!" Havoc asked, his voice shaking from the vibrations rolling through his body.

A jolt of red energy appeared within the cloud, moving along the edge of the newly formed pit. Soon more lightnings appeared, rushing out from within the dark void, sizzling and leaving strangely formed figures hovering on the sand of the remains of the dune.

Eyes going wide, Armstrong mumbled something under his breath.

With a frown, Havoc stared at him, the disbelief clearly visible in his heavily lidded orbs. "Transmutation?"

His head jerked around as realization dawned on him and with what little strength was still left inside his weak body, he pushed up his torso and stared wildly at the hole in front of them. And indeed, wherever the jolts touched the ground, unidentifiable objects appeared, transmuted out of the sand surrounding the gap.

Breathing heavily, Havoc suppressed his instincts to just run away (as impossible a task it might have been for him) and instead watched mesmerized as the jolts moved along the dune in wild disorder. But there was something else... Squinting, he settled his eyes on a fleshy hand clawing at the yellow sand.

"We should back off! That ain't normal!" Breda yelled above the noises of the rumbling ground, his hand dragging along a dazed Fuery. Falman was hot on his superior's heels, when he suddenly heard Jean's voice faintly calling for help.

As Vard turned his head over his shoulder to where Major Armstrong had been, he was surprised and shocked to find the tall soldier kneeling just at the edge of the unnatural formation. Havoc was half lying half sitting behind him, cradling something in his arms.

He was yelling incoherent orders at him and automatically Falman grabbed for the still fleeing Breda and jerked him around. Running as fast as he could across the loose sand, the Warrant Officer dashed to where Jean was sitting, at the same time ordering Breda and Fuery to go for Armstrong.

Mere meter away from Havoc, his eyes finally settled on what -or better who- was lying in the arms of the paralyzed man.

The dirty blond hair of 1st Lieutenant Hawkeye greeted his disbelieving eyes, her own ones closed tightly as if she was asleep. As he allowed his gaze to travel down her semi-naked form, he found a gasping Roy Mustang crouching right behind Armstrong, blood seeping out of numerous wounds and down the corner of his mouth.

"Sir!"

Looking up for only a heartbeat, Roy watched as Falman rushed towards him. A blast of hot air engulfed him, sand bringing tears to his tired eyes. Blinking them away, he suddenly felt a sweaty hand grabbing for his arms and at the same time his behind received a not so gentle kick.

Looking up, venom dripping from his orbs, Mustang found Edward Elric standing more or less upright behind him, one arm draped around the mid-section of his mechanic. Winry was coughing violently, holding her side obviously in pain.

"We have to get outta here ASAP, bastard! So get your ass in gear and don'tcha forget to bring your woman along!" Ed hadn't even waited to finish the last part of his sentence, his legs already moving to the distant shadows forming a straight line of rocks that lead to the mountains of the border, like the bare spine of a skeleton lying in the middle of nowhere.

Swearing, Roy forced himself into a standing position and bent down over Havoc. The former soldier was whispering Riza's name over and over again, his functioning arm slung around her torso to keep her from falling from his lap. He looked like he was on the verge of crying as he held her limp hand with his injured one.

"Havoc, I'll take over from here." Looking up at the Colonel, Jean nodded slightly, feeling unconsciously for a pulse at Riza's wrist. "She's alive... we somehow made it." Came Roy's reply to Havoc's unspoken fear.

With a grunt, Roy lifted Riza up, cradling her in his arms and pressed her tightly against his chest. Beside him, Armstrong picked up the silent ex-Lieutenant; his watery eyes watching Al run past him to where his brother was disappearing behind a dune, a sobbing Mei-chen clinging to his metal neck for dear life. Izumi was hot on her ex-student's heels, her breathing coming out in strained gasps.

Falman and Breda were holding a man in his late fifties upright between the two of them, following Mustang and Alex and bringing up the rear.

"Don't leave me." Roy mumbled into Riza's hair, her head lying on his shoulder. A long gash -running along her temple- dyed her ghostly white features crimson. A thin layer of dust covered both him and her, making his throat itch and filling his lungs.

As he reached the top of the dune, a loud explosion ripped through the air and Roy swiveled around on the spot, eyes staring widely at the source of the noise. Automatically, he took a step backwards, almost losing his footing on the liquid-like sand.

A shocked gasp could be heard from both Izumi and Fuery as the group stopped dead as well. Their frightened orbs settled on the dust cloud hovering above the gap, jolts of alchemic energy still jerking through the grey mass.

The creature that had appeared at the opening moved one long spidery arm, a hand with twelve fingers pointing in all directions slamming onto the ground. The large eyes of the monster roamed over its surroundings in wild disorder, saliva and blood dripping down onto the ground from a grotesque maw.

"The hell?" Havoc whispered, cold fear clawing at his insides at the sight of the nightmarish creature. In morbid fascination, he watched as the thing moved out of the hole with jerky, almost uncoordinated movements, heading straight towards them where they were standing in shock.

"It's the rebound!" Ed suddenly yelled and Mustang merely nodded.

He had already noticed certain features of the monster as transmuted body parts of the Homunculi and _father_. They had all merged into one being, which no longer resembled a human in any way. Alphonse made a silent comment about the resemblance with Envy's true form.

"It's heading our way!" Breda suddenly yelled, the man in his arms moving around nervously, trying to get them all moving again. He wanted to get away from that _thing_ as far away as possible, but the two soldiers supporting his weakened body just wouldn't escape their trance.

Breathing heavily, Roy watched as the monster rushed across the dune towards them, a long tail whipping jerkily around and five hands and feet leaving deep impressions in the sand. Dozens of creamy, blood shot eyes looked straight at him... at the bundle in his arms and with a clarity born from the chaos surrounding him, Mustang knew they would never make it to the rocks.

"Fucking shit! Can't they just die already?!"

Making a grim face, Roy didn't exactly know how to reply. He was already back in motion, sliding down the dune, listening to his comrades doing the same. In the background he could make out the unmistakable noise of the monster half crawling, half walking on all five limbs through the sand. He could almost imagine its hot, stinking breath on his back and shuddered at the sheer thought.

Pressing Riza tightly against his chest to keep her from sliding down, he tried to sped up. His boots were sinking deep into the fine sand, making it virtually impossible for him to run as fast as he would have liked and judging by the constant swearing coming from Fullmetal, he wasn't the only one with the problem.

A loud crash brought Mustang out of his reverie. He allowed his eyes to stray for the fraction of a second to the dune they had passed, his heart sinking when he found the large form of the transmuted Homunculi diving right through the top.

It rolled down the side, screeching in an inhumane voice.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" The muscles in his legs hurt like hell and his arms started to cramp from the way he was holding onto the slack form of Hawkeye. The pounding of his heart in his ears almost rivaled the howling and screaming of the monster behind him.

Beside him, Edward appeared, his metal hand entwined with Winry's. He was more or less dragging her along, her feet barely able to keep up with the tempo of her childhood friend. The young man was looking as determined as somehow possible, eyes staring straight ahead at the rock formation.

Another three hundred meters... maybe even less.

They had to stall the damn thing!

"We could use a barrier... or a canyon." Roy yelled between pants, his lungs hurting from the haste breathing.

Grunting a reply, the blond Elric stopped in mid-stride, bringing the young woman to an abrupt halt and making her yelp in surprise. Clapping his hands together as if in prayer, he brought them down onto the hot ground, alchemic energy sizzling across the sand towards the monster.

A wall of thick glass appeared right in front of it, a high-pitched sound erupting from its throat. Having not anticipated a wall to form out of the nowhere, the massive body slammed hard into the barrier. The impact and the weight caused the glass to shatter in an ear deafening noise, large pieces clattering down onto the ground and raining down on the massive body.

The raven haired Colonel hadn't seen any of it. He was still running as fast as somehow possible to where the shades casted by the large rocks lurked out from behind a small dune. Edward had already caught up to him, his brother right behind him.

Alphonse had by now picked up both Izumi and Fuery, the two of them clinging to the large armor for dear life. The young Xingese girl and her cat were riding on the boy's back, Mei-chen sobbing soundly in fear.

"Boss!"

Breda's voice was barely loud enough to be heard above the noises of the screaming chimera and the heavy panting of his comrades. He didn't wait for any sign of acknowledgment and continued without wasting precious time.

"When we reach the rocks... there's a small cave... at the second large formation!"

Roy's right boot dove into the first shadow and instantly, cool air engulfed his form in a pleasant embrace. The sweat trickling down his face almost felt cold, but he didn't even register the drop in temperature. His mind was entirely focused on running.

"Where!" He yelled, eyes flickering over the cream colored rocks frantically. He had to find it! He _had_ to find-

Charcoal orbs settled on a dent about fifty meters ahead and automatically his speed increased, hope surging through him at the prospect of getting a chance of bringing his Lieutenant into relative safety. From behind him, he could merely make out the loud panting of constant cursing of his companions, his brain mentally sighing in relief that they were still complete.

The loud noise of something colliding with solid rock was the only warning Roy had before the first boulders crashed down right before him. He came abruptly to a halt, the heels of his boots digging into the loose ground. Sand sprayed around him from where the rocks had dived into the dune, hailing down on them like dry rain.

Blinking away the grains, Mustang looked up at the spot where the rocks had come from and found himself locking eyes with the monster. An agonizing howl escaped the open maw and suddenly a long ghastly arm shot out through a hole, long bony fingers grabbing hastily for the Colonel.

With a strained grunt, Roy threw himself sideways, almost losing his hold on Riza's lax body in the process. His back hit the stone wall hard, forcing the air out of his lungs and bringing stars to form in his vision.

"Get down, Colonel!" It was Major Armstrong's voice that lifted the haze slowly forming in his mind and with a supreme effort, Mustang pushed himself up with one hand, slinging Riza across his shoulder with the other one. He dove away from the rock formation, just when spikes grew out of the surface, rushing towards the head of the transmuted chimera.

Half a dozen eyes of different shapes and sizes stared at the transmuting stones, forming a straight line originating from where Alex had slammed his fist against the rock. It had barely time to pull its massive head out of the newly formed opening, before the first thorns slashed through his hand, missing the neck only narrowly.

Breathing heavily, Roy stepped up beside Edward and Alphonse, both brothers dirty from head to toe and one of the them bent over, hands pressed to his buckling knees as he held himself barely upright. Winry, standing motionlessly beside him, stared with terror filled eyes at where the monster had disappeared silently behind the rocky outcrop.

Lying across Armstrong's shoulder, looking equally still as Riza, Havoc did his best to suppress the increasing feeling of fear and horror rising within his guts. He got carried around like a useless bag and kept his comrades from fighting with all they had. Weighing them down at the worst possible time...

"Major, just leave me here, 'lright?" He mumbled, closing his eyes in defeat.

There was a pause as Armstrong held his breath for a heartbeat, before patting the behind of the ex-soldier friendlily.

"No." "But-" "Do you intend to question my authority, 2nd Lieutenant?!"

Jean swallowed his next protest quickly, clamping his mouth shut. A small, rueful smile appeared on his lips as he stared -hanging upside down from the broad shoulder of his savior- at the sandy ground. Frowning slightly, he found the disheveled form of Black Hayate crouching at the foot of the rock. The small dog had its nose buried in the fine sand, ears pricked as if he was digging for mice.

"We should get away from that rock-thingy!"

The group turned as one, just when a bulge started to form right underneath Hayate. Dashing forward, Fuery snatched the dog away where it had been lying, growling dangerously at the deforming ground. The soldier ran away from the stone wall back into the burning sun as fast as his legs could carry him, Black Hayate dangling from underneath his left arm.

The others weren't far behind, trying to gain as much space between them and the growing elevation. Looking across his shoulder, Roy found the head of the transmuted Homunculi lurking half way out from underneath the tons of sand, a growl already gurgling in its throat at seeing them run away in the opposite direction.

Brows rising, Mustang realized, that the chimera must have forced its way through the massive stone wall... maybe it still possessed the powers of Gluttony, he mused silently, his speed never decreasing even though his legs were threatening to give away underneath him.

"Wait a sec!" Ed's voice reached their ears all at once and the group stopped as one, twelve heads swiveling around to stare at the massive body of their pursuer.

"Huh!" Fuery asked incredulously, watching wide-eyed as the chimera tried in vain to crawl out of the sand.

"It's stuck!" The glee in Ed's voice was clearly audible and a wide grin spread out on his face as his eyes followed the futile attempts of the creature to wind its way out of the hole it had created in the stone wall.

Chest heaving heavily, Roy could only stare. Slight movement of the form lying across his shoulder brought him out of his stupor and he forced his mind to realize the implication of the situation. The chimera had only one half of his body three, three arms keeping the upper half of its torso upright.

"Lend me a hand, would you!?" He yelled across his shoulder, kneeling down slowly to lay down the still form of his 1st Lieutenant onto the hot sand. When he straightened again, he found Ed, Al and Izumi standing beside him.

"How many do you need, stupid Colonel?" Edward asked cockily, the palms of his hands already pressed together, a loud clap accompanying that of Al and Izumi. In one fluid motion, the three alchemists pressed their hands down onto the ground and instantly energy rushed through the sand dune towards the beast.

Out of the ground, long spears appeared, made of quartz and stone. They closed around the monster like tentacles, a long angry roar escaping the chimera's throat as they wound around its arms and legs and pulled them out from underneath the massive body.

Breathing heavily, Ed gritted his teeth as exhaustion washed over him. He had mobilized the last energy reserves and had reached a point where even his eyes refused to stay open. "Do it, dammit!" He pressed out tiredly, feeling his limbs go numb and his mind cloud.

Lifting his arm, Roy took aim.

He calculated the distance, the wind, the concentration of oxygen.

Feeling the wet spot where Riza's blood had seeped into his torn shirt, Roy stared into the furious eyes of the transmuted Homunculi.

"With pleasure."

SNAP

-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS?!

I intend on writing one last chapter... but I could end it here, if you decide that this ending is just enough for you.

Furthermore I want to apologize for the long wait. No, I wasn't again in Ecuador... but several partly grave circumstances forced me to take a break. There was for one, the internship in the woods, followed by 24/7 lab work (which isn't even exaggerated btw). Also, my beloved dog died of lung cancer. There just wasn't enough muse left in my brain to attempt writing... she always rested her head on my feet when I sat down to work on my fanfics. Her death left me mourning a beloved friend, companion and accomplice -as crazy as this may sound.

I do hope this chapter was enough to inspire you to write some lines! Every review will be devoured greedily and used to feed the monster under my bed!


	9. Chapter 9

Author's rambling:

Last part!

Before I dive into a long rampage of rambling, I better let you read this chapter first! But don't you dare and _not_ read the last lines at the end!

-()-()- indicates beginning and end of flashback

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

-()-()-

Roy hated merry-go-rounds.

Why? Because he got sick as soon as the cart even attempted to move an inch and the curves… not to mention the centrifugal force sucking his insides right down into his toes! One of his fan girls had once dragged him into such a vehicle -born directly from hell, created by the devil himself- about two years ago.

The ordeal had ended with him puking all over her dress, which had then resulted in a slap and a stinging cheek. He had been the center of many jokes among his colleagues afterwards and had vowed never to step into any form of fairground attraction for the rest of his life.

Jaws clenching and unclenching as he fought the rising bile in his throat, Mustang squeezed his eyes tight shut, blocking out the bright light that surrounded him. His stomach was lurching, his guts churning from the strange feeling of having been broken down into his molecules and then having been reassembled again.

Carefully, he pried open one orb, revealing a thin line of glassy charcoal. Very slowly, he opened them completely, his mouth dropping open as he found an insanely large set of doors towering right in front of him.

Unable to keep himself from staring, he watched mesmerized as a thin gap opened where the edges of the doors had been pressed together. As the space grew, darkness flowed out from the world inside, building a stark contrast to the light surrounding his being.

Setting his jaw, Roy waited.

His gaze wandered to the top of the doors, a strange feeling engulfing him… as if they were living… breathing. Thinking. He suddenly felt very small in front of the supposed entrance to the _truth_ and for a moment, he actually believed to be caught in a twisted, unreal dream.

When the doors had opened enough to permit two humans through, the one thing appeared, Roy had secretly always wanted to see out of curiosity born from his greed for knowledge and alchemic power.

The single white eye stared down at him darkly.

Mustang's body stiffened involuntarily and he almost took a shaking step backwards as raw fear clawed at his insides. His hands opened and closed a few times, the feeling of his silken gloves giving him the familiar security he needed to finally square his shoulders and face the threat right in front of him.

Why was he here again?

Yeah. Because he had to save his Riza. Because he had to eliminate the Homunculi. Because he wouldn't allow them to use her to execute their dirty plans.

Eyes narrowing, he stood tall, glaring openly at the black tentacles crawling out of the shadow filling the infinite nothingness sealed behind the now open doors. Tiny hands appeared at their ends, their dark tips lightly touching Roy's ragged uniform shirt, wandering across his body silently.

After a few moments, the first ghostly hand grabbed him by his collar, a second one taking hold of his sleeve and a third and fourth closing their fingers around his wrists. Ever so slowly, they dragged him towards the open doors towards blackness.

His heartbeat quickened, a rising feeling of fear mingling with the sheer rage until he had to bite down on his tongue to prevent a scream from being torn from his throat.

A mere meter parted him from the shadows when he thought he had heard someone call his name from far away. Had that been desperation echoing through his mind?

Lifting his arm, his hand appeared in his line of view. Mustang stared darkly up at the eye that almost looked like it was smiling, the slightest aura of menace flowing out of its depths like an open threat.

"Riza! Don't you dare touch her!!"

He would end it right here and then, before that damn thing had the chance to suck out his soul and make Riza give birth to the Philosopher's Stone. Index and middle finger pressed to his thumb, the friction already enough to form a lonely spark, he counted the seconds until he would have reached the threshold.

Suddenly the brightness around him began to flicker with statics and at the same instant, sound returned to his world. The young Colonel couldn't suppress the frown when he heard the noises of struggling and yelling people from somewhere behind him accompanied by the groaning of the massive door as it opened even further to permit more tentacles out from the inside.

There were also the voices.

Like uncountable wailing children. Crying out for help and redemption.

The light around him began to diminish and the first tiny hands holding fiercely onto his body started to retreat, disappearing once again inside the black mass behind the large eye. The black pupil had started to move around in wild disorder, looking everywhere at once.

The brows on Roy's forehead formed a bewildered crease and when the last long tentacle had let go of him, he swiveled around on the spot, eyes going wide when he found a black eddy right behind him.

In the middle, a naked woman stood, her feet already sinking deeper and deeper down into the black funnel. She was staring right back at him and their eyes locked for a very long second.

What the hell was happening here? Wasn't that thing supposed to tear his soul out of his body? What had caused the transmutation to stop?

He felt himself being sucked into the whirlpool and fought to keep himself from struggling against the suction. Soon, the form of the woman with the golden hair and amber eyes had disappeared and he was close to submerging completely.

Mustang's body broke apart again… limbs and consciousness reassembling and dissolving again and again.

Ah, right… damn roller coasters …

-.-.-.-.-.-

When his eyes opened, Roy found himself hanging upside down.

The sharp edge of something really hard was pressing into his back, bending him at the waist backwards. Carefully he moved his hands, flinching when he felt the trademark prickle of burned skin rush along his fingers.

With a supreme effort, Mustang rolled around on the surface of the thing he had been placed –or landed- on and surveyed his surroundings for the first time since waking.

"Wh-?" The question stuck in his throat, eyes going wide in shock.

The large hall, they had been led into only minutes ago had fallen into chaos, dark columns of smoke rising from burning machines and scorched bodies. A waterfall of sand was cascading down from the cracked ceiling, forming pyramids on the dusty ground.

Pushing himself upright hastily, Roy bit back a pained groan as he felt a few cracked rips protest vehemently against the sudden motion. He ignored the screams of his body pointedly and slid down the high side of the rock he had been lying on, landing on the floor with a thud nobody seemed to notice in the bright disorder.

Rushing around the debris, the Colonel nearly slammed into a short figure running past.

"Colonel!" Surprised, Ed had to blink a few times, his chest heaving heavily from an apparently hard flight. As Roy's eyes travelled along the young alchemist's arm, he found a female hand attached to the Elric's wrist.

Winry was looking worse for wear, eyes red from crying and face covered in a thick layer of dust. But there was barely a scratch on her, probably thanks to the love-sick youngster standing mere inches beside her.

"Fullmetal, what the hell's happened?!" Roy pressed out, looking around himself, just to find Al heading towards them. The Xingese girl was hanging under one arm and his free hand was wrapped around the upper arm of the old –strangely familiar- man. Their sensei was leading the way, panting heavily and blood trickling down the corners of her mouth.

"Kimbley happened!" Staring incredulously at the shorter man, Roy waited for the rest of the explanation.

"Envy thought, he had died back in the mountains, but it seems he was out for some revenge! When I came to, he was standing in the middle of the transmutation circle, screaming about payback… he was making things explode."

Mustang's chest tightened painfully, throat constricting as he remembered.

The second he had come to, Roy had seen Kimbley stand right in front of his dazed body. Right between him and Riza's motionless form. They had been closest to the madman, which explained why he had been thrown across the room from the force of one of the ex-State Alchemist's infamous explosions.

"Where-"

"We can't find her!" Alphonse interrupted Roy mid-question, taking a step forward, fear seemingly emitting from his metal body. "She's got to be somewhere around here!"

Roy had heard enough. Not having waited for Al to actually finish his sentence, Roy had swiveled around, feet already dashing along the crumpled ground. Driven solely by instinct, he jumped across rocks and machine debris…

Had to find her. No matter what.

"Riza?!" He yelled into the noises of still exploding devices and falling stones, the volume of his heartbeat almost on par with the chaos engulfing him in a tight grip. He could feel his lungs straining against his broken ribs as he tried desperately to get more oxygen into his burning chest, his head already spinning dizzily.

"Riza!!"

Still no answer. In the background, he could hear the others yelling the name of the 1st Lieutenant as loud as they could, but the crumpling room swallowed every sound like a vacuum.

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a streak of dirty blond. He no longer could feel his limbs, but he was moving faster than Roy had thought possible. The white pain searing through his torso held no meaning to him, nor did he feel the steel pole, that was poking out from underneath a rock, tear through his upper arm.

"She's over here!!" He heard himself yell as he fell to his knees.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Mustang suddenly realized that he was shaking to the point, where he had even lost control of his hands. With all the willpower he could muster, Roy forced his fingers to stop trembling.

With a feather-like touch, the partly gloved tips of his fingers flew across the ghostly white skin of her semi-naked body, feeling for injuries and making sure that she was real. That she was breathing. He had the unbelievable need to feel the warmth of skin.

As his index and middle finger pressed against the dusty skin underneath the jaw line at her neck, he almost started to cry with relief. A sluggish but strong heartbeat greeted the tips of his fingers and as if on cue, a small moan escaped her throat.

She was obviously in pain, one of her arms lying by her side at an unnatural angle and several long gashes ran across her naked torso.

But she was alive.

"Is she ok?!"

Not daring to avert his gaze from the still form of his 1st Lieutenant, Mustang merely nodded in answer to Edward's question and as carefully as possible with his own injuries making his body ache, he picked Riza up, pressing her torso securely against his burning chest.

Another crashing sound and the last wall broke down, a wave of dust rolling through the chamber towards the group of survivors. They squeezed their eyes shut against the sand and dirt, throats itching and coughs ensuing.

Al, who didn't have the problem, suddenly pointed his free arm up at a spot, where the ceiling was supposed to be. But instead of hard stone, rays of bright light filtered through the rising dust cloud, illuminating an escape route.

"Indeed, you children are blessed by fate."

Roy looked around to where the old man was standing, his eyes fixed to the opening. It had been the first time, the Colonel had heard him say something and a small smile appeared on his cracked lips as he finally found the name to the familiar face.

"Same goes for you, _Doctor_."

-()-()-

-.-.-.-.-.-

Alcohol equals headaches.

Especially, when the liquor had caused four men to turn into a bunch of immature apes and the only one currently befallen with a headache was the unbelievably sexy but exhausted ex-Colonel in the seat opposite the party.

Said ex-Colonel was trying quite vehemently –though, unfortunately, in vainly- to screw his eyes shut and keep himself from exploding like a bomb. He could feel his eyelid twitching when one of the drunken idiots on the other side of the train came up with another stupid bet.

"An' I bet, that he won't let go of her 'till Resembl-, Reservebo-, that damn dump we're heading for… even if he has to pee!"

The twitching intensified, but Roy tried to stay calm… for now.

He couldn't hold their current behavior against them. The four men, namely Havoc, Breda, Fuery and Falman, had gone through hell and back and their wounds weren't partly even close to healing any time soon.

Not that he was any better.

His broken ribs were giving him a hard time and some of the lacerations he had obtained while fighting his way through the dirt down in that chamber in the desert, were inflamed and just wouldn't heal.

He allowed his consciousness to travel to the badly burned tips of his fingers and could feel again the flames licking at his skin. But he hadn't been devoured by the fire. The injuries he and the other occupants of the chamber that time had sustained had probably originated partly from the rebound.

When Kimbley had stormed right into the array and had started to cause explosions all over the place, the transmutation process had been interrupted forcefully, equaling a messed up transmutation.

The power unleashed by the alchemy had been directed back at the one using it and _father _had taken the full force. Born from the body and mind of the man looking like Hohenheim, the Homunculi present had been affected by the rebound as well and had probably merged into one being, having been turned into the chimera they had fought after their escape.

The former human sacrifices had pieced that much together as they had dragged their exhausted bodies across the eastern mountains.

And ironically, they all owed their lives to the crazy man who had killed thousands with his explosions in a bloody war. If Kimbley hadn't appeared when he had, Amestris would have been a wasteland now and Riza would have been used to give life to the Philosopher's Stone.

But they were all alive.

Alive…

His left eye cracked open and a charcoal pupil wandered down to his shoulder. A warm feeling spread out through his body when he found a blond mop of hair resting against his side, the hypnotic rhythm of her breathing making the collar of his shirt tremble as if caught in a light breeze.

Yes, they had all somehow made it. And not only through that nightmare that had lasted almost a week and had led them through Amestris and the great desert, but also the weeks afterwards.

The exhausted group had used up the very last of their energy reserves in their attempts to cross the border to their home country again and had been forced to stay outside in the mountains and the following plain for two nights.

Roy hadn't been able to sleep one second, the fear of losing a life while allowing his body to rest, clawing at his conscious every second where his mind stumbled along the line between lucidity and the final shut down of his body.

Riza had woken several hours after they had left the burned corpse of the chimera behind, already half way up the first mountain side. And against her protests, Mustang had held onto her and had refused to allow her to walk on her own, even though he himself had been at the very brink of collapsing with his precious burden.

But because of some very selfish reasons (he had actually admitted that after a long argumentation with Maes in one of his fever induced dreams in the hospital), he couldn't have let go of her body even if death himself would have given the order.

Unconsciously, Roy's arm drew Riza's form even closer to his own body, his still partly bandaged hand tightening his grip when he remembered for the umpteenths time the first visit of Major General Armstrong at his hospital bed.

-()-()-

Roy was bored out his skull.

A private room… well, he could live with that. But where was his private nurse, his private magazines and the private toilette for God's sake! All alone, he was left with the only somehow amusing part time activity left.

Thinking.

Or was that even amusing? Because up until now, he had only been able to tackle his mind with self reproach, fear and anger. He felt as awful as somehow possible and the pain in several parts of his body wasn't helping at all, not to mention the pressure of his bladder and the fact that there were so many IVs hooked up on him, that any attempt to get up without professional help would directly lead to a tangled heap of limbs and lines on the floor.

Sighing, the bed-bound Colonel stared at the egg-colored ceiling and tried to activate his mind-link to one of the other rooms currently occupied with one or more of his faithful –though pretty battered- subordinates and friends. Especially the one right beside his private (though missing all the crucial comforts of the room description) residence.

But their links appeared to be severed and the voice of the woman he wanted and needed to hear so desperately kept silent.

Just when he wanted to close his eyes -because frankly, the ceiling wasn't that interesting after all- the doors to his room flew open, the handle crashing into the wall and causing a plaster cloud to fall to the ground.

Brows creased, Mustang watched as a woman stormed inside, her aura screaming bloody murder, giving away her identity even before her mouth had opened to announce her presence.

"Major General!" Roy exclaimed surprised, fighting his way upright and suppressing a pained wince as his broken rips grinded their protest. "What a honor to-"

"Cut the crap, Mustang!" She barked back, grabbing the only chair and placing it right in front of Roy's bed. She sat down heavily, her insignias and medals clattering with the motion. "I'm sure as hell not here on a social call!"

Brows furrowed, a bad feeling already developing in his stomach, Mustang waited silently for the bomb to explode.

"Colonel Roy Mustang, you are accused of the murders of General Reibun, General Walker and General Bergnun. Your hearing will be held the day after tomorrow morning and –oh, here is the subpoena. Read it yourself."

Tensing, Mustang's hands balled into tight fists, the bandages around the burned skin of his fingers tightening painfully. He had secretly waited for such a thing to happen. It had been –after all- his very own plan to bring the Führer and the higher brass to fall and take over the country just to pass his work as the absolute leader to the parliament. And as a result, he would have to accept court martial and take responsibility for the genocide of the Ishvarians, the abuse of military power and so many things more. He was too tired to even attempt to complete the list.

He would have to face death. Probably shot… hopefully not by the hand of the best sniper in Amestris (she still blushed several shades of red whenever he happened to mention the fact).

"One of my subordinates is currently delivering the same message to your 2IC, 1st Lieutenant Elizabeth Hawkeye."

Roy's heart stopped for a very long moment and he forgot to breathe, eyes staring wildly at the higher ranked woman sitting beside his bed. That hadn't been part of his carefully worked out plan, just like the fact that he hadn't even been given the time to recuperate enough to even get close to the position he had been aiming at for so long.

'I will protect your lives and you will only protect whom you can… even if it's only a few, protect those below you.'

It had been so easy to say those words and believe in them throughout the years, but in the end, he hadn't been able to keep his part of the bargain.

"You're such a pathetic idiot, Colonel." Startled out of his self reproaches, Mustang frowned back at the blond Major General. "I've always considered assigning her a post at Briggs. With her skills and knowledge, she'd have been a reliable subordinate. But_ you _just had to bring her down with you!"

Chuckling humorlessly, Roy closed his eyes, trying to calm down somewhat with his nerves hailing images he had always hoped to prevent from happening down onto his mind. There was that scene again… Riza. Falling.

"But now… I'll never get my hands on another military sniper with her abilities again any time soon it seems. Though a certain General Gruman was talking about a civilian with her caliber soon being available again."

Eyes snapping open, Roy stared at the iron-willed Armstrong woman with new hope flickering trough his orbs. Despite the immense pain in his chest, he sat up straight, almost pulling out the IVs in the process.

"Don't tell me-"

"You underestimate the name 'Armstrong', _Mister_ Mustang. Though I generally prefer doing things my way and dislike using my family to reach an aim, I had to rely on some connections this time. Naturally my younger brother had a major role in this one, but…" She trailed off, looking rather grumpy when her thoughts drifted to her brother with the sparkling attitude.

"I am deeply indebted in you." Roy said softly, bowing his head slightly.

-()-()-

Owing his _and_ Riza's life to that damn woman… He could feel a vain throbbing dangerously on his temple when thinking about the concept. That woman was a wolf with the strength of a bear and the memory of an elephant. Not to mention the attitude of a wild boar with rabies.

Someday she would stand on his porch. With that damn scary grin and those gleaming eyes.

Roy suddenly felt like committing suicide…

The train came to an abrupt halt then, a jolt running through the bodies of the occupants and sending Breda flying down the corridor. He lay on the dirty ground, sprawled out on his back and unable to get back up without the help of his equally drunk companions.

"Are we already there?" A soft voice asked from right beside him.

One corner of his mouth pulled up in a lopsided grin, when he found his former subordinate rubbing the sleep out of her slightly rimmed eyes. Riza was suppressing a yawn, when she looked up into Mustang's eyes, who was already mourning the lost feeling of her head pressed against his shoulder.

Nodding, Roy got up from his assigned seat and held out his hand for Riza to take it. Smiling faintly, she watched the bare palm of his hand, white plasters still wrapped around the burned tips of his fingers.

Carefully, she threaded her fingers through the gaps between his own ones and pulled herself upright.

"There should be a carriage waiting outside for us, Ma'am." Roy told her with a bow, allowing her trough the exit first.

As promised, a cart -pulled by one lonely horse- was standing at the station, Major Armstrong already in the process of lifting Havoc out of his wheelchair into the waiting arms of Breda and Falman. The trio swayed dangerously for a rather long second, before they collapsed together on a bench, laughing like the funniest thing ever had just occurred.

Havoc may have still been paralyzed from the waist down, but at least he could use his arm again. The steel pole had missed any vital nerves and blood vessels and the ripped muscle tissue had healed just fine.

After they had been brought to the hospital in Central, Roy had had some conversations with Doctor Marcoh about the possibility of a successful recovery of Havoc's legs via his healing methods. Unfortunately, the scarred man could do nothing without the Philosopher's Stone, smashing their last hopes completely.

Jean would probably never walk again, but he was slowly learning to accept fate and worked day and night on somehow making it on his own.

Against all odds. Because that's what they were doing every day.

Havoc, Breda and Falman were still laughing about some perverted joke, when they heard a woman clearing her throat soundly. They stopped dead, looking like kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar and eyed Riza Hawkeye guiltily. She may no longer have held a higher rank than them, but she was still scarier than their worst imaginations of hell.

Fuery, being the only one among the four still sober enough to realize their idiotic behavior was way out of line for such an early hour, followed Alex up onto the open back of the carriage, whistling shortly for Black Hayate to follow him.

Sighing dramatically, Mustang hopped onto the old planks of the loading space and was just about to turn around to offer his help to Riza, when he found her already standing beside him, grinning sheepishly back at him (he loved the way she smiled at him lately… he should definitely work on making her grin more often).

"I hope they have enough room for us, though." Riza began a few minutes after the cart had started to move. The constant noise of clattering hooves was somehow soothing, the hypnotic rhythm combined with the soft swaying of the vehicle leaving the drunken soldiers in a semi-awake state.

They were passing through a vast landscape of fields, some trees here and there marking the end of one parcel, red apples hanging invitingly in the high branches. In the distance, black and brown dots moved lazily across meadows, their companions at the side of the road watching the carriage move by with big glassy eyes.

"I hope they have enough food for those idiots." Roy muttered under his breath, eyeing one of the cows chewing languidly on some grass and weeds.

Snorting, Hawkeye shook her head. Rolling her eyes, she moved closer towards Roy, until their upper arms where touching and with an instinctive motion, he slung his arm around her waist, feeling the material of her skirt underneath the skin of his palm.

He watched her through dark orbs for a long moment until she finally felt his gaze on her and turned around her head to face him. A bewildered, somewhat concerned look appeared in her obsidian eyes and a crease formed between her brows as she frowned back at him.

"You alright?" She asked, touching his thigh softly.

Instead of answering immediately, Roy allowed his eyes to travel down her jaw line towards her neck, where it lingered for only the fraction of a second at the base of her neck, where the collar of her turtleneck blouse barely covered the edge of the tattoo.

"Of course… just thinking too much again." He finally answered truthfully, closing his eyes as he felt a soft breeze ruffle his already messy hair. But how could he actually _not_ think about her and the circumstances that had lead to this moment? The events were still too fresh on his mind and sometimes, he just couldn't make himself believe that she was actually right there. Beside him. His hand lying comfortably on her hip like it was the most natural thing in the world.

After a long while of peaceful silence, Roy felt her shift in his loose embrace and his eyes opened again in curiosity.

When her soft lips touched his cheek tentatively, he went rigid, his heart suddenly clenching painfully. "I'm sorry." She breathed the words against his neck and in the next moment, she had allowed her head to lie down on his shoulder. It fit perfectly into the crook of his neck, making Roy feel somewhat completed. Another part of the puzzle had been put into place.

Why had they needed years of longing, several near-death-experiences and their dishonorable discharges to finally reach that point? Was there ever an easy way?

Roy waited until Riza had settled down against him, before he dared to close his eyes again. He listened to her steady breathing and to the wind moving through the fields for what seemed like hours. He could even ignore the strange noises of their fellow companions as they snored soundly away.

Suddenly, the cart came to a halt and the horse shook its massive head, looking like it was nerved by the order of the old coachman. "We are there."

Just when Roy sat up straight, pulling Riza along, he heard someone snort behind him. "Lazy bastards don't change that easily it seems."

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Mustang made a show of getting up and looking around with an exaggeratedly deep frown plastered onto his forehead. "Riza, tell me: Did you hear that voice? It almost sounded like Edward's, but I can't find the kid!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MICROBIC BEAN, TOO SMALL TO BE SEEN AMONG A COLONY OF UNICELLULAR ORGANISMS?!?"

The occupants of the cart hadn't even waited for the older Elric to finish his onslaught and had already vacated the vehicle, bidding their goodbye to the driver just when Ed had finally realized that Roy wasn't even listening.

"Oh, Edward! There you are!" Mustang said cheerfully, eyes crinkling up into a smile when he walked up to the irked Elric, extending his hand in greeting. Grumbling some swear words under his breath, Ed took the proffered hand and gave it a vigorous squeeze.

"Colonel!" Fuery's voice announced his presence and Roy turned around, a sigh already in the process of leaving his lips when he found the young Major Sergeant saluting briskly behind him. "Should we bring your luggage inside, sir?!"

"It's Roy, Fuery. Or Mustang. Or a combination of both." The ex-Colonel told the man slightly unnerved by the still ongoing usage of his former title. Kain had been the only one until now to never call Roy by his first name… though he somehow thought, that the others had taken over his first name into their regular vocabulary way too easily in his liking.

Had there ever been any respect for him at all among his subordinates?

"Roy!" Speaking of the devil. Havoc, sitting in his new wheelchair with a cigarette dangling between slightly parted lips, smiled up at Mustang lopsidedly. "Don't be too hard on the toddler." He was still grinning when Armstrong started to wheel him away from the lingering group towards the entrance to the Rockbell house.

Winry and Al were already standing in front of the door, her grandmother appearing out from behind the metal armored Elric.

"Let's go inside." It was Riza's voice that brought him out of his internal mourning of lost power and with a small smile, he walked up to her and took her hand carefully (under the soft whistling of Breda and grumbling of Edward… damn kids…), leading her up towards where Havoc was just shaking hands with Izumi.

Beside them, Armstrong and Izumi's husband Sig were engrossed in showing off their muscular bodies in a grotesque contest, sparkling profoundly and finally shaking hands in a newly made friendship born from their equality of muscle mass and their mutual respect for one another.

Family reunions were the best…

-.-.-.-.-.-

Riza loved the silence of the eastern region. Especially this part of the country, with its vast fields and low population was the one place where she thought, she could settle down, if that question ever became an issue.

The nocturnal darkness surrounded her, but unlike weeks ago, it held no threatening aura. The heat of the day had disappeared with the setting sun and by now a cool breeze had made the temperature drop to the point where the sniper needed a woolen blanket.

Now that the oppressive heat had dissipated, animal life finally awoke, small mammals crawling through the knee-high grass on their search for a meal and uncountable insects of varying size whizzed through the air, circling around the lantern and crawling along the walls of the Rockbell house.

Their voices were soothing and after a while of listening, Riza averted her gaze from the dark landscape and looked up into the clear night sky.

A map drawn by billions of small lights awaited her orbs and with a deep sigh filled with contempt, she absorbed the wonderful sight, eyes straying over the infinite space above her in awe.

"Stargazing?"

Smiling faintly, she said nothing, merely patting the free place beside her where she was sitting on the grassy ground with her back against the house wall. Riza listened as Roy sat down silently, his clothes rustling. Abruptly, the noises of nightlife ceased completely.

The pair waited until the first cicada began its melody again, soon followed by a companion and some crickets.

"Why did you leave all of a sudden?" Mustang finally asked in a hushed voice, laying his arm around Riza's back, his bandaged hand taking hold of her arm and drawing her closer towards him. It seemed to Riza, that he just couldn't get her close enough ever since they were _allowed_ to touch.

Like a child, he needed to feel her pressed against him, giving him security and spending warmth.

"I don't feel like sleeping, yet." She answered truthfully, swatting away a moth that crawled across the back of her hand carefully.

Suddenly a predator much larger than a mouse rushed through the field surrounding the house and in response, a pheasant emerged out of its hiding place, flying away with terrified clucks. It disappeared in the darkness as the landscape settled down again.

"It all seems so far away." Roy heard her sigh and with his free hand he pulled a strand of hair behind her ear. Now able to see the side of her face completely, he was mesmerized by the beautiful sight of the weak moonlight illuminating her pale features.

"It _is_ far away."

Silence followed Mustang's statement as they both succumbed to their thoughts. After a while, Riza averted her gaze from the night sky and locked eyes with the man sitting beside her. She searched his dark orbs for a long time for something, but he couldn't tell what exactly she had been looking for.

"We will have to shoulder corpses and cross a river of blood…" The young woman began in a low voice, barely above a whisper. She felt Roy tense against her and felt a pang of guilt for having brought this conversation up. It had been so many years… maybe…

"We didn't exactly reach our goals… the plan didn't work out the way we had imagined. But… did we… did we somehow atone for our sins somewhat? Was it enough to lift some of the weight?"

The desperate, sad tone of her voice made his heart ache. The raven haired man inhaled deeply, suppressing the tightening feeling of his throat.

"I am a powerless human. Protecting those below me, was and is all I can do. We can't make up for the lives that were taken by our hands, but as long as we still walk on and do what we can do with our own hands, the burden won't get any heavier."

"Walking on… " Roy heard her mumble and suddenly longed for the stoic, ever level-headed Riza Hawkeye to come back. She had been so melancholic those last few weeks, always contemplating, always remembering bad things.

He wanted her to look forward again. He wanted her to feel alive again.

Before he could say anything though, Riza beat him to it. "You know… There are still children out there who aren't smiling."

Brows crinkled into a frown as Roy gazed into the reddish orbs of his former Lieutenant, the question behind the action not going unnoticed. A small smile appeared on Riza's lips as she glanced at the dark house behind the couple, Mustang doing the same. He suddenly understood.

"There seems to be a long way ahead." He said with a chuckle, feeling a weight being lifted from him as the woman beside him straightened visibly, a spark of life running through her and springing over to Roy.

"Is there any chance, that you won't take the offer from Major General Armstrong. I could do with an aide known as the best sniper in Amestris if we want to protect some kids."

Gnawing at her lower lip, brows folded deep in thoughts, Riza eyed Roy for a long second. He just watched, suppressing his instincts to caress the skin of her cheeks were they had turned a faint shade of red at the compliment.

"Well… " To Roy's amusement, a cocky grin appeared on her lips. "Depends on the payment. The General made me a very generous offer last week… very tempting, if you ask m-"

She was pre-empted when Roy pressed his lips softly against her own, his right hand already tangled in her blond hair, drawing her closer as he intensified the kiss. Not slow to respond, Riza opened her mouth, giving his tongue access, her eyes closing as she succumbed to the feeling.

After what seemed like minutes, the two parted, both breathing more heavily, hands barely able to stay still on the other body. They locked eyes then, glazed orbs looking for answers in each other's depths.

"I guess, I am still at your tolerance level, Ma'am."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

FINIS!!!

And this time I mean it!

Phew!

I made it through 9 (for me) wonderful, exciting chapters and can just hope, you all felt the same way! I wanna thank one last time, everybody who showed interest in my work and dropped a few words in form of reviews! They were all more than welcome and I am still unbelievably happy (and baffled) about the amount of feedback I have received (and hopefully will still receive) from you n.n

I tried to tie up all the loose threads that had appeared especially in chapter 8. If you still have questions, feel free to ask.

Love you all! Reviews are still welcome!!

P.S.: By the way: The not-so-healthy-for-some-characters-ending would have been Roy and Riza getting executed for committing the crimes I mentioned in this part (you all know about their plans, right?!)… I was always planning on letting it end this way, but you got me to make it like this! n.n


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